Weekly Roundup: Peru's Protests, Chile's New Candidate, and ALBA's Next Summit

In Chile, New Conservative Candidate in the Running for President

In the wake of conservative candidate Pablo Longueira’s resignation in Chile’s presidential race, the Independent Democratic Union party unanimously nominated Labor Minister Evelyn Matthei as its candidate on July 22. The governing coalition is likely to rally behind Matthei; former Defense Minister Andrés Allamand said on July 24 that he would not run. Former President Michelle Bachelet of the Concertación currently leads the polls.

Why Did the NSA Spy on Brazil?

Why did the National Security Agency (NSA) conduct large-scale surveillance in Brazil, a U.S. ally? The New Yorker’s News Desk blog reports that one reason is that Brazil is “one of the most important telecommunications hubs on earth,” given the number of major submarine transmission cables on its Atlantic coast. The blog points out that NSA director General Keith Alexander said the agency aimed to “find terrorist activities that might transit.”

Brazilian Government Pursues Deeper Social Media Engagement

In the wake of last month’s protests—which were largely organized on social networks—the Brazilian government is making efforts to engage and monitor Brazilians online. This week, the Brazilian House of Deputies launched an online portal called e-Democracy to allow citizens to weigh in on political reform. On July 23, Folha de São Paulo reported that the executive branch is setting up a “virtual cabinet” for social media. The cabinet will monitor and engage the online debate, refute rumors, and put the president in more direct contact with her constituents.

Facing Trade Deficit, Brazil Seeks Changes to Mercosur Rules

In a July 23 interview with Reuters, Brazil’s Deputy Trade Minister Ricardo Schaefer revealed that Brazil wants to change how the Southern Common Market bloc (Mercosur) negotiates trade agreements in order to speed up a deal with the European Union. “Mercosur is very important and strategic for Brazil, but we have an agenda and there are some asymmetries that we need to tackle," he said. Mercosur has been in talks with the EU since 1995 about the agreement. Quartz reports that Brazil posted a $3 billion trade deficit in the first half of 2013—the worst performance in nearly two decades.

New Argentine App Tracks Congressional Voting History

A new app called “Década votada” (A Decade in Votes) tracks Argentine congressional voting records from 2003 through 2013 to show the “degree of each candidate’s allegiance to their party at the moment of voting,” reports Global Voices. After inputting the year, date, and topic, users can see how parties and deputies voted on bills.

Anti-Corruption Protests Arise in Peru

On July 22, several thousand youth protestors took to the streets of Lima to demand replacements for controversial appointees to Peru’s Constitutional Tribunal, ombudsman, and the Central Bank. The appointments—seen as made for political reasons rather than based on merit—were swiftly annulled by Congress on July 24. El Comercio explains that the protests—dubbed #tomalacalle (take the streets) and organized on social media—reflect general discontent with elected officials. More demonstrations against corruption are planned for July 27 and 28.

Also this week, Trade and Tourism Minister José Luis Silva and Social Inclusion Minister Carolina Trivelli resigned from their posts, citing personal reasons.

Solar Power Plan Aims to Help Peru’s Poorest

This month, Peru’s government launched the National Photovoltaic Household Electrification Program, which aims to bring solar energy to 2 million of the country’s poorest. The first phase of the initiative installed over 1,600 solar panels in the Contumaza province, reports Grist. In total, the plan aims to install 12,500 solar panels in 500,000 households.

Napolitano Visits Mexico to Talk Border Security

On July 24, outgoing U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano met with President Enrique Peña Nieto and his cabinet members to discuss facilitating trade, travel, and information sharing. Napolitano also met with Interior Minister Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong; the duo penned a Memorandum of Understanding in April. The accord allows for coordinated patrols on both sides of the border and real-time information sharing. “The U.S.-Mexican border is now more secure than ever, in part because of the concept of co-management and co-responsibility,” said Napolitano in a statement.

Meanwhile, Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs José Antonio Meade visited Canada this week to discuss a “more strategic” bilateral relationship, which could eventually lead to a trilateral border security deal with the United States.

Mexican President: Organized Crime "Has Won" Parts of Michoacan

Mexico’s Pacific Coast state of Michoacan saw a bloody week involving a series of ambushes on federal police forces. Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto lamented the violence, saying organized crime “has won” in parts of the state and called for coordinated efforts between local and federal security authorities. In May, Peña Nieto’s government sent federal troops into Michoacan in an attempt to combat encroaching violence and the rise of the organized criminal group known as the Knights Templar.

Online Advertising on the Upswing in Mexico

As Mexico’s digital industry booms, investment in its online advertising grows as well, according to an IAB Mexico report. Approximately $492 million was invested in online advertising in 2012, a 38 percent increase from 2011.

Report: The Evolution of Transnational Organized Crime in LatAm

A July 2013 report from the Wilson’s Center’s Latin America Program tracks shifts in transnational organized crime in Latin America and the evolution of drug trafficking organizations. The study found that Mexican crime rings have taken over U.S. drug markets, while Colombian cartels have turned to local markets in the region, as well as Europe. Central America went from a transit zone to a more active area for drug processing and money laundering. Meanwhile, criminal groups have become increasingly fragmented, though “this has not translated into less illegality and violence,” the report says. It has been “accompanied by a new generation of criminals, younger and more willing to break with the discipline maintained by traditional structures.”

Historic Peace Law under Review in Colombian Court

On July 25, the Colombian Constitutional Court began reviewing the legality of the Legal Framework for Peace, legislation passed last year to lay the foundation for the peace process with guerrilla group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, writes the Pan-American Post. In December 2012, Colombia’s Commission of Jurists challenged the law as unconstitutional, arguing that it will allow amnesty for war crimes and will allow the government to prioritize certain crimes over others. The Court has until August 20 to make a decision. President Juan Manuel Santos called the law “indispensable” and said it “does not amount to sacrificing justice for peace.”

Colombian Commander: FARC Not a “Real Threat”

Peace negotiations between Colombia’s government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) resume on July 28, taking place after 19 soldiers were killed in clashes with the FARC on July 20 and 21. However, in a July 22 interview, Armed Forces Commander General Alejandro Navas says the rebels do not pose a “real threat,” telling El Tiempo that recent attacks were meant to have a political effect during the peace talks. Colombia’s National Center for Historical Memory presented a six-year study this week revealing that 220,000 people have died in the country’s half-century-long conflict.

Ecuador to Host Heads of State at ALBA Summit

The Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas (ALBA) bloc will hold a summit for leaders and high-level officials on July 30 in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Economic integration and social issues will be on the agenda. A bilateral meeting between Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa will be the first of its kind since the death of former Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez in March. At the meeting, Correa intends to introduce plans for new reforms to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

Survey: Salvadorans Top Americas in Positive Views toward U.S.

Pew Research released the results of its Global Attitudes Project this month, finding that Salvadorans have the most positive views of the United States of any country in the Western Hemisphere.  Brazil, Chile, and Mexico also led the Americas in favorable views toward the United States. (H/T Central American Politics Blog)

Obesity a Bigger Killer than Hunger in Latin America

Latin America has become the most overweight region in the developing world, says the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, with more people dying from obesity than from hunger. The Economist reports that Peru has the highest density of fast-food restaurants in the world, while Mexicans drink more carbonated drinks than any other country. Some headway is being made: Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay have passed regulations to improve the quality of food in schools.

Where the Dinosaurs Roamed: 15-Foot Tail Found in Mexico

Excavations in the northern Mexican state of Coahuila unearthed a 72 million-year-old find: the 15-foot tail of a dinosaur. Mexican paleontologists also found hip bones and will continue excavating in hopes of finding the rest of the creature. The discovery marks the first of its kind in Mexico.