Lisa Haugaard
This report finds that U.S. assistance has dropped near the lowest levels in more than a decade—about US$2.2 billion foreseen for 2014. But dollar amounts are deceptive. While U.S. diplomatic efforts are flagging, other less transparent forms of military-to-military cooperation are on the rise. For example, the report finds that Special Operations Forces, whose budgets are not being cut as they re-deploy from Iraq and Afghanistan, are visiting Latin America more frequently for joint training in war-fighting skills, intelligence gathering, and other military missions.
There’s much in Obama’s foreign policy speech at West Point that resonates for those who would like to see a just foreign policy towards Latin America.
U.S. policymakers perceive the U.S. relationship with Colombia as a strong partnership that endures despite transitions in power. But that does not mean there are no private preferences.
The peace process between the Colombian government and the FARC-EP guerrillas reached the halfway mark on May 16th, 2014 with a ground-breaking agreement on how to treat drug production and trafficking. This is the first peace process in history with a “drug policy” chapter.
This post first appeared on Just Americas: A Blog by LAWG. It was written by Lisa Haugaard, Director of the Latin America Working Group .
By: Lisa Haugaard, LAWGEF
In their houses, in front of their children, in the middle of meetings, while taking their children or grandchildren to school, while eating in restaurants, while walking to or from work: these are some of the places in which 78 Colombian human rights defenders were assassinated in 2013.
By: Lisa Haugaard, Latin America Working Group Education Fund
This blog appeared in the Huffington Post
As Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos met this week with President Barack Obama, it’s time to say, Yes to peace.
By: Lisa Haugaard, Latin America Working Group Education Fund