Podcast appearances and mentions of adam isacson

For the second year in a row, what had been an uneventful, consensus-driven United Nations meeting on drug policy saw unexpected drama and signs of real change. At the 68th session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in Vienna in March 2025, governments approved the formation of an independent expert commission to recommend changes to the architecture of global drug policy, which has changed little since the early 1960s. Colombia again played a catalytic role, as it did in 2024. But this time, the United States—under the new Trump administration—tried to block nearly everything, isolating itself diplomatically in the process. In this episode of the WOLA Podcast, Adam Isacson speaks with three experts who were in Vienna: Ann Fordham, Executive Director of the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC), a network of 195 organizations working to reform global drug policy. Isabel Pereira, Senior Coordinator for drug policy at DeJusticia, a Bogotá-based think tank and advocacy group. John Walsh, WOLA's Director for Drug Policy, who has tracked the UN's drug control system since the 1980s. The conversation traces the slow evolution of the UN drug control system—from decades of punitive consensus to today's shifting coalitions, unprecedented votes, and long-overdue reviews. Much of the episode centers on a breakthrough: a new resolution establishing an “independent external review” of the UN's own drug control institutions. For years, countries like Colombia have called for an honest assessment of the system's failings. Now, thanks to a resolution spearheaded by Colombia and passed over U.S. opposition, that review is happening. The details still matter: how independent the expert panel will truly be, who funds it, and whether the review can influence the hard architecture of the drug control treaties. “Vienna was very much a space where delegates would just pat each other on the back on how well we're doing the war on drugs,” Pereira said. “The spirit of Vienna created a sort of lockdown situation on debate, true debate,” added Walsh. “Civil society enlivened the Vienna atmosphere” in recent years, he noted, “with new debates, new arguments.” Now, this international space has become more dynamic. The guests also discuss coca leaf: its decades-old listing as a Schedule I narcotic, Bolivia's and Colombia's ongoing push for a scientific review, and the possibility of a pivotal vote in 2026. They stress how traditional knowledge—especially from Indigenous communities—must be recognized as legitimate scientific input during that review. Underlying it all is a major diplomatic shift. Colombia is using the UN system to demand drug policy grounded in health, human rights, and development—not militarized prohibition. But with Petro's term ending in 2026, it's unclear who will pick up the baton. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is signaling a return to zero-tolerance drug war policies—and burning bridges with potential allies in the process. “They behaved so terribly. I mean, they broke with all diplomatic niceties,” said Fordham. “The U.S. just went for it in their opening statement… It was frankly an embarrassing, but also pretty shocking statement.” Despite the uncertainty, all three guests agree: civil society is no longer on the sidelines. NGOs and experts are shaping debates, challenging rigid thinking in Vienna, and holding governments to account.

Estados Unidos deportó a cientos de presuntos integrantes de la pandilla Tren de Aragua a El Salvador, apelando a la Ley de Enemigos Extranjeros. Se trata de una norma creada en 1798 y que se ha invocado solo tres veces en la historia del país, pues fue diseñada para caso de guerra con otra nación o una invasión a territorio estadounidense.  El presidente de EE. UU., Donald Trump, expulsó el fin de semana a El Salvador a más de 250 migrantes, amparándose en una ley de 1798 y usada únicamente en tiempos de guerra. El mandatario consumó esas expulsiones pese a que un juez le había ordenado verbalmente al Gobierno frenar de inmediato los vuelos de deportación y regresar los aviones que ya habían partido hasta que se resolviera el litigio.En una audiencia en el Distrito de Columbia, abogados del Gobierno de Trump afirmaron que se actuó conforme a las leyes de EE. UU., a pesar de que los aviones con los migrantes aterrizaron en El Salvador de que el juez federal James Boasberg les ordenara de manera oral no hacerlo."Una directiva oral no es aplicable como si fuera un requerimiento. Las órdenes escritas son cruciales porque aclaran los vínculos de una conducta permisible", defendió el Departamento de Justicia sobre la medida de Boasberg, Trump invocó la ley de Enemigos Extranjeros de 1798, que no había sido utilizada desde la Segunda Guerra Mundial, para acelerar las deportaciones contra supuestos miembros de la banda transnacional Tren de Aragua.Según el mandatario, apeló a esa ley porque la banda, de origen venezolano, "está perpetrando, intentando y amenazando con una invasión o incursión depredadora contra el territorio. Por eso, ordenó que cualquier venezolano mayor de 14 años y que sea miembro del grupo designado por Washington como terrorista debe ser detenido y expulsado.No obstante, la Ley de Enemigos Extranjeros constituye para algunas organizaciones humanitarias un abuso de poder.Leer tambiénTrump reta a la Justicia y deporta a 238 presuntos miembros del Tren de Aragua como Enemigos Extranjeros¿Trump puede aplicar en las deportaciones una ley para situaciones de guerra? ¿Está adaptando la Ley de Enemigos Extranjeros para poder cumplir su promesa de deportaciones masivas? Para analizar el tema, participan en El Debate tres invitados.- En Washington, Adam Isacson, director del Programa de Veeduría de Defensa de la Oficina de Washington para Asuntos Latinoamericanos.-En Annapolis, Maryland, Arthur Estopinan, consultor y asesor político, presidente de The Estopinan Group, consultora especializada en Relaciones gubernamentale. Fue portavoz oficial de la exrepresentante republicana Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.

Stephen Miller privately worried about imposing overly aggressive tariffs on Mexico, because it could imperil Mexico's effort to apprehend migrants traveling north to our southern border, reports the Wall Street Journal. That revelation is more striking than you think. Understood correctly, it's an acknowledgment that Mexico had already been cracking down on migration, due to an arrangement secured by President Biden. That badly undermines Trump's scam that his threat of tariffs forced Mexico to do his bidding on the border.  We talked to Adam Isacson, an expert on Latin America, who explains what Mexico has actually been doing on immigration, and why it undercuts Trump's biggest claims about immigration, tariffs, Mexico, and more. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephen Miller privately worried about imposing overly aggressive tariffs on Mexico, because it could imperil Mexico's effort to apprehend migrants traveling north to our southern border, reports the Wall Street Journal. That revelation is more striking than you think. Understood correctly, it's an acknowledgment that Mexico had already been cracking down on migration, due to an arrangement secured by President Biden. That badly undermines Trump's scam that his threat of tariffs forced Mexico to do his bidding on the border.  We talked to Adam Isacson, an expert on Latin America, who explains what Mexico has actually been doing on immigration, and why it undercuts Trump's biggest claims about immigration, tariffs, Mexico, and more. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephen Miller privately worried about imposing overly aggressive tariffs on Mexico, because it could imperil Mexico's effort to apprehend migrants traveling north to our southern border, reports the Wall Street Journal. That revelation is more striking than you think. Understood correctly, it's an acknowledgment that Mexico had already been cracking down on migration, due to an arrangement secured by President Biden. That badly undermines Trump's scam that his threat of tariffs forced Mexico to do his bidding on the border.  We talked to Adam Isacson, an expert on Latin America, who explains what Mexico has actually been doing on immigration, and why it undercuts Trump's biggest claims about immigration, tariffs, Mexico, and more. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Washington Office on Latin America is Adam Isacson

Adam Isacson, director para la veeduría de defensa de WOLA, habló en Mañanas Blu 10 AM sobre las medidas del presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, sobre todo, en el tema de deportaciones de migrantes ilegales.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In June, President Biden issued an executive order restricting asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border. The new restriction was supported by many prominent newspaper columnists—few of whom offered alternative solutions or examined the order's impact on human rights, says Adam Isacson, a longtime expert on Latin America and U.S. immigration policy. “The Biden administration made a choice to restrict asylum at the border,” he says, “instead of adding asylum judges and officers to fix the asylum system.” In this podcast, we discuss solutions to fix the asylum system, and Isacson shares insights from a recent trip to Colombia and the impact that organized crime has on migration routes, including the Darién Gap. We also talk about migration at the border as extreme summer temperatures take hold. Read or listen to more independent reporting from the U.S.-Mexico border at https://www.theborderchronicle.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/border-chronicle/support

Hello and welcome again to yet another episode of the Migration & Diaspora Podcast, where we showcase projects and people from the field of migration and diaspora engagement. I'm your host Loksan Harley from Homelands Advisory, your independent migration and diaspora agency.  Now, it's been a while since we talked about Latin America on this podcast, so I'm very excited to present to you a conversation with Mara Tissera Luna, one of the region's preeminent experts on migration and especially children on the move in displacement situations, which is precisely the topic of the day.  About Mara Mara is an international consultant focusing on displacement and protection responses in Latin America and the Caribbean. She's a fellow at the Collaborative on Global Children's Issues at Georgetown University and has provided technical advice and applied research to UNICEF, the University of Edinburgh, Refugees International, and International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) in 14 countries, contributing to 25+ reports, handbooks, and short articles. What we talk about In today's episode, we talk all about the rather harrowing protection issues faced by children in situations of displacement in Latin America, including:  The state of play of forced displacement in the region.  Specific trends in the displacement of children. Solutions to address these very pressing needs. Mara draws both from her recent research on very young children in Guatemala, as well wider research on the topic. We've included some links to some of these sources in the show notes as there is a lot to know and we couldn't cover anything in a 45-minute podcast.  Anyway, without further ado, I'd like to thank you again for tuning in and we hope you enjoy the show. Links Connect with Mara: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maratisseraluna/ Mara's website and newsletter sign-up:  https://latinamerica.website/maratisseraluna Georgetown University's programme "Promoting Early Childhood Development for Young Children on the Move in Northern Central America,": https://globalchildren.georgetown.edu/posts/innovations-to-support-early-childhood-development-and-protection-for-young-displaced-children-in-guatemala  Mini-guide "Research for Advocacy & Systemic Change: A Ridiculously Simplified Guide to Intersectional & Decolonial Research + examples.": https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FK-wuDhJ3bHsvb85U_crh-M5Y51l66-O/view  Background Paper "Protecting Children in Escalating Conflict and Crises: Armed Violence, Climate Shocks, and Displacement", Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action: https://alliancecpha.org/en/annual-meeting-2024/background-paper  ODI and UNICEF's “Children on the move in Latin America and the Caribbean: Review of evidence”: https://www.unicef.org/lac/en/reports/children-on-the-move-in-latin-america-and-the-caribbean  An in-depth, graphical overview of what's happening at the U.S.-Mexico border right now, from the Washington Office on Latin America's Adam Isacson: https://vimeo.com/918977850 The world's most neglected displacement crises in 2022: https://www.nrc.no/resources/reports/the-worlds-most-neglected-displacement-crises-in-2022/ The MDPcast Ep22: Latin America's migration mega-trends: https://www.homelandsadvisory.com/podcast/episode/2790db1d/episode-22-latin-americas-migration-mega-trends-with-felipe-munoz-from-the-inter-american-development-bank  The MPDcast Ep5: Chlidren on the move in West and Central Africa: https://www.homelandsadvisory.com/podcast/episode/20c80d46/episode-5-children-on-the-move-in-west-and-central-africa-context-vulnerabilities-and-protection-needs 

This episode is part one of two of our conversation on U.S. migration. Over the past few decades, migration from Central America's Northern Triangle has more than tripled. Millions in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras are in the process of uprooting their lives to take on the dangerous journey to the U.S. in the hope of a better life. Despite President Biden's early commitment, submitting a $4 billion plan on his first day in office to tackle the root causes of migration, the approval of this plan still hangs in the balance two years later. What factors drive this growing migration? What are the global ramifications of the crisis, and what solutions might address its deep-seated origins? How have both Washington and local governments navigated the complex landscape to alleviate the crisis?Our distinguished speakers for this discussion include Diego de Sola, President and CEO of De Sola Group and Co-founder of Glasswing International; Adam Isacson, Director for Defense Oversight program at WOLA; and Dr. Elizabeth Oglesby, Associate Professor in the School of Geography and Development, and Latin American Studies at the University of Arizona. This is the first event in a two-part series looking at the dynamics of migration from Latin America to the United States. The second will look at the migration crisis from the perspective of New York City.Music by Aleksey Chistilin and Yrii Semchyshyn from PixabayFollow us at:Network2020.orgTwitter: @Network2020LinkedIn: Network 20/20Facebook: @network2020Instagram: @network_2020

Hablamos en Ciudad de Guatemala con el politólogo Ricardo Sáenz de Tejada; en Des Moines con nuestra analista política, Dori Toribio, y en Washington con el experto de WOLA, Adam Isacson

Hablamos con Adam Isacson de la Washington Office on Latin America, con Milagros Meléndez de "El Tiempo Latino" en la capital de Estados Unidos y con el periodista nicaragüense Ismael López

Nicholas Danforth recently sat down with Agustina Giraudy, Adam Isacson and Anya Prusa to discuss the latest political developments in Latin America. This the second installment of our two-part podcast. The conversation began with an overview of the role of the military in different Latin American countries, before pivoting to an examination of regional views of great powers. The conversation concluded with a discussion about U.S. policy in the region, and how different governments view the Biden administration.

Nicholas Danforth recently sat down with Agustina Giraudy, Adam Isacson and Anya Prusa to discuss the latest political developments in Latin America. This two-part podcast covers the rise of the Left in the region as well as its implications for relations with Washington, Moscow and Beijing.  

Les contamos lo que dijeron ayer Bolsonaro, Boric, Bukele, Petro y otros en la Asamblea General. De los inmigrantes sin papeles hablamos con Adam Isacson de WOLA. Y de los conciertos de Coldplay, con el periodista especializado Sergio Marchi

Autoridades colombianas señalaron al Tren de Aragua, una temida organización del crimen que surgió en Venezuela, como la responsable de al menos 23 asesinatos cometidos este año en Bogotá, algunas de cuyas víctimas fueron desmembradas. En el último mes, se han registrado asesinatos particularmente cruentos, productos de la guerra por el control de los mercados de la droga en barrios marginales de Bogotá. Este fenómeno conocido como el microtráfico no solo recae en bandas colombianas, sino en carteles mexicanos, brasileños y venezolanos. Solo en la última semana han sido hallados en bolsas los cuerpos descuartizados de cuatro personas en diferentes puntos de la capital colombiana. El Tren de Aragua está detrás de "17 hechos de violencia durante lo corrido del año y 23 víctimas mortales, cuatro de ellas con desmembramiento", informó el comandante de policía de Bogotá, general Carlos Triana. El descuartizamiento de las víctimas para ocultarlas en bolsas y costales es "una modalidad que no se había visto en la ciudad", agregó Triana. El incremento de este accionar criminal podría poner en peligro el tan ansiado Pacto de paz, que el presidente Petro ambiciona lograr durante su gobierno. A finales de agosto, el nuevo presidente colombiano ofreció este miércoles a los narcotraficantes suspender su extradición a Estados Unidos y otorgarles "beneficios jurídicos" a cambio de que se rindan y abandonen su actividad.  Para Adam Isacson, director de veeduría de defensa del centro de análisis Washington Office para América Latina (WOLA), las intenciones del gobierno deben ir mas allá de negociar penas judiciales con estas bandas. “Parece que el presidente Petro está buscando aliviar esta crisis de seguridad negociando algunos tratos penales con los líderes de estos grupos. Esto tal vez puede traer algo de tranquilidad solo si el gobierno, el Estado aprovecha para incrementar su propia presencia”, advierte el politólogo. “Si por ejemplo en un barrio marginal de Bogotá hay una guerra entre bandas y el gobierno negocia con los líderes que entregan sus armas, pero no se incrementa la presencia del Estado en estos barrios, si no hay policías, ni escuelas, hospitales ni trabajo, ¿qué va a pasar?, otro grupo criminal puede dominar muy rápidamente este barrio”. Por otra parte, la fragmentación de las bandas criminales y guerrillas dificulta la lucha contra la violencia. “Hace diez años yo hubiera podido nombrar todos los grupos criminales y armados que tenían más de 100 miembros. Ahora es imposible. Hay una fragmentación, un esparcimiento de grupos violentos mucho más pequeños y menos dominio territorial y que están compitiendo. Es cada vez más parecido a lo que se ven en algunas partes de México”, concluye Adam Isacson. Además de la negociación con los narcos, Petro está en camino de retomar diálogos de paz con el Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN), la última guerrilla reconocida en Colombia. Adam Isacson fue entrevistado por Marilyn Lavado.

Autoridades colombianas señalaron al Tren de Aragua, una temida organización del crimen que surgió en Venezuela, como la responsable de al menos 23 asesinatos cometidos este año en Bogotá, algunas de cuyas víctimas fueron desmembradas. En el último mes, se han registrado asesinatos particularmente cruentos, productos de la guerra por el control de los mercados de la droga en barrios marginales de Bogotá. Este fenómeno conocido como el microtráfico no solo recae en bandas colombianas, sino en carteles mexicanos, brasileños y venezolanos. Solo en la última semana han sido hallados en bolsas los cuerpos descuartizados de cuatro personas en diferentes puntos de la capital colombiana. El Tren de Aragua está detrás de "17 hechos de violencia durante lo corrido del año y 23 víctimas mortales, cuatro de ellas con desmembramiento", informó el comandante de policía de Bogotá, general Carlos Triana. El descuartizamiento de las víctimas para ocultarlas en bolsas y costales es "una modalidad que no se había visto en la ciudad", agregó Triana. El incremento de este accionar criminal podría poner en peligro el tan ansiado Pacto de paz, que el presidente Petro ambiciona lograr durante su gobierno. A finales de agosto, el nuevo presidente colombiano ofreció este miércoles a los narcotraficantes suspender su extradición a Estados Unidos y otorgarles "beneficios jurídicos" a cambio de que se rindan y abandonen su actividad.  Para Adam Isacson, director de veeduría de defensa del centro de análisis Washington Office para América Latina (WOLA), las intenciones del gobierno deben ir mas allá de negociar penas judiciales con estas bandas. “Parece que el presidente Petro está buscando aliviar esta crisis de seguridad negociando algunos tratos penales con los líderes de estos grupos. Esto tal vez puede traer algo de tranquilidad solo si el gobierno, el Estado aprovecha para incrementar su propia presencia”, advierte el politólogo. “Si por ejemplo en un barrio marginal de Bogotá hay una guerra entre bandas y el gobierno negocia con los líderes que entregan sus armas, pero no se incrementa la presencia del Estado en estos barrios, si no hay policías, ni escuelas, hospitales ni trabajo, ¿qué va a pasar?, otro grupo criminal puede dominar muy rápidamente este barrio”. Por otra parte, la fragmentación de las bandas criminales y guerrillas dificulta la lucha contra la violencia. “Hace diez años yo hubiera podido nombrar todos los grupos criminales y armados que tenían más de 100 miembros. Ahora es imposible. Hay una fragmentación, un esparcimiento de grupos violentos mucho más pequeños y menos dominio territorial y que están compitiendo. Es cada vez más parecido a lo que se ven en algunas partes de México”, concluye Adam Isacson. Además de la negociación con los narcos, Petro está en camino de retomar diálogos de paz con el Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN), la última guerrilla reconocida en Colombia. Adam Isacson fue entrevistado por Marilyn Lavado.

Análisis de una nueva era en las relaciones entre EEUU y Colombia tras la juramentación de Gustavo Petro como presidente de la nación sudamericana. Analizan el Dr. Eduardo Gamarra de la Universidad Internacional de Florida y Adam Isacson, de WOLA. Presenta Gonzalo Abarca, de la Voz de América.

Adam Isacson, Director for Defense Oversight at the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), discusses the U.S's competing narratives of the Southern border, their real effects on how Americans perceive migrants, and how the ideal of asylum is atrophying in the process.

Las elecciones generales en Nicaragua se realizan en medio de una profunda división política en el país y una intensa presión internacional. El presidente Daniel Ortega busca su reelección por cuarta vez mientras la oposición califica los comicios como una “farsa electoral”. Estados Unidos por su parte ha dicho que no reconocerá los resultados aduciendo falta de transparencia y de principios democráticos, lo que rechaza el gobierno de Managua. Foro analiza el impacto de estas elecciones y el destino político de la nación. Analizan Carlos Fernando Chamorro, director de Confidencial, Jason Marczak, director para América Latina del Atlantic Council, Adam Isacson, director de Supervisión y Defensa de la Oficina de Washington para América Latina (WOLA) y Lucía Pineda, directora de 100% Noticias. Presenta Gonzalo Abarca de Voz de América.

To all Colombianists out there, Adam Isacson of the Washington Office on Latin America needs no introduction. Offering some of the most insightful analysis on not only Colombia but other countries in the region, he is a go to person for journalists seeking out informed and level-headed opinions. We hear from Isacson after this, his first visit to Colombia since quarantine restrictions have been lifted and in the company of Congressman Jim McGovern. They travel to Sumapaz, Cali, Santander de Quilichao and Bogotá and Isacson provides us with a lowdown of his thoughts on how Colombia is evolving...or not. Tune in to a fascainting Episode 400!

Hoy en Día a Día, comenzamos conversando con la Dra. Dadilia Garcés, médico epidemióloga, sobre el aumento de contagios de Covid-19 en EE.UU: “Las personas tienen que entender que nuestro comportamiento influye muchísimo en cómo este virus se va a transmitir… El estar en verano, haber dejado de usar mascarillas y no tener una tasa de vacunación adecuada, ha llevado a que muchos estados empiecen a tomar medidas más dramáticas para proteger a su población”, explicó. La Dra. Informó: “En Florida tenemos varios picos de la variante Delta, aunque no hay tantos fallecidos porque los vacunados han protegido la tasa de mortalidad”. Con el Director para Veeduría de Defensa en la Oficina de Washington para Asuntos Latinoamericanos, Adam Isacson, conversamos sobre la petición de Duque a EE.UU para declarar a Venezuela país promotor del terrorismo: “Duque busca aislar aún más en el ámbito político al gobierno de Maduro e incrementar el costo para otros países de relacionarse con este régimen”, comentó, y opinó que “Las sanciones no son muy importantes para un país que ya mantiene malas relaciones con EE.UU”. Sobre los países que condenaron los ‘arrestos y detenciones masivas' de manifestantes en Cuba, conversamos con Daniel Pedreira, secretario del PEN Club de Escritores Cubanos en el Exilio, quien nos dijo: “Se han unido 21 países para firmar una declaración conjunta, donde apoyan a los manifestantes del 11 de julio y le piden al gobierno cubano que libere a los detenidos”, y agregó: “Muchas personas han llamado a que la administración Biden haga una intervención militar en Cuba, pero las posibilidades de que eso suceda son muy leves”. Desde Miami nos atendió el analista político del Medio Oriente y terrorismo, Joseph Hage, quien nos habló sobre la situación en Túnez: “La acción del presidente fue en respuesta a los levantamientos populares y las manifestaciones por las acciones del Parlamento… Saied usó una cláusula de una Constitución que han hecho los mismos diputados que están ahora en el Congreso”, explicó. El economista José Gonzáles nos habló sobre el comienzo de la reunión de la Reserva Federal de EE.UU sobre la política monetaria: “La variable Delta y la vacunación en el país están generando expectativas de que la economía podría desacelerarse y eso permitiría que la Reserva Federal mantenga las tasas de interés en donde están por los próximos meses”, explicó, y puntualizó que “Si las tasas se dejan tal y como están, las condiciones seguirán siendo las mismas”. Y para cerrar, el analista Internacional Fausto Pretelin nos habló sobre la propuesta de López Obrador y Luis Arce de remplazar a la OEA por un ‘organismo verdaderamente autónomo': “Creo que los mecanismos están para quedarse y si uno quiere verlos en el futuro, hay que cuidarlos… Hay que aportar soluciones en lugar de calificar o descalificar a organismos”, opinó, y comentó que “Mientras la Celac no esté cumpliendo sus objetivos, entonces podría estar acercándose a su final”.

La reconfiguración del Poder Judicial en El salvador desata un debate hemisférico sobre la institucionalidad y transparencia del proceso mismo; así como sobre la necesidad del sistema de pesos y contrapesos inherente en toda democracia. Washington mostró su desacuerdo con la remoción expedita de los magistrados de la Corte Suprema del país centroamericano, así como la del fiscal general. Adam Isacson, de la Oficina de Washington para Latinoamérica (WOLA) y Eduardo Escobar, director de Acción Ciudadana, en San Salvador, analizan el desafío constitucional de las acciones del presidente Nayib Bukele y del reto que ellas representan a las políticas de Estados Unidos hacia el Triángulo Norte... También, la libertad de prensa a la baja en las Américas; una entrevista a Luis Manuel Botello, director asociado del Centro Internacional para los Periodistas. Conduce Gonzalo Abarca de la Voz de América.

El gobierno del presidente Joe Biden busca limitar considerablemente la ayuda de $4 mil millones a los gobiernos del llamado Triángulo Norte: Guatemala, Honduras y El Salvador. La decisión, según funcionarios oficiales, se basa en la corrupción y la falta de transparencia que aqueja a esos gobiernos. Ahora, Estados Unidos busca canalizar esa ayuda hacia organizaciones no gubernamentales, programas para madres solteras y capacitación a la juventud. Adam Isacson, director del Programa de Vigilacia de Seguridad de la Oficina de Washington para Asuntos Latinoamericanos, WOLA, analiza las opciones de cooperación y la violencia, la pobreza y la migración de esas naciones. También, el Dr. José Montero, Director del Centro de Apoyo Estatal y Territorial de los Departamentos de Salud de Estados Unidos, aconseja sobre los protocolos sanitarios de los escolares. Presenta Gonzalo Abarca, de la Voz de América.

Since he took office last month, President Joe Biden has moved quickly to overhaul Donald Trump’s immigration policies. Among other measures, the new administration has moved to rebuild the U.S. refugee resettlement program, which had been gutted under Trump; ended the “safe third country” agreements that aimed to force asylum-seekers to first register their claims in other nations before traveling to the United States; stopped construction of the wall along parts of the U.S. border with Mexico; and issued a 100-day pause on deportations, although that order has been temporarily blocked by a federal judge. Adam Isacson, a longtime WPR contributor who is currently the director for defense oversight at the Washington Office on Latin America, has been tracking the detrimental impacts of Trump’s immigration policies and their ripple effects in Central America. He joins WPR’s Elliot Waldman on the Trend Lines podcast this week to discuss Biden’s early moves on immigration.  Relevant Articles on WPR: America Needs More Open Immigration Biden’s New Approach to Central America Is Welcome, but It Won’t Be Easy Trump’s Anti-Immigrant Crackdown Is Creating New Coronavirus Hotspots Trump’s Threats Won’t Make Mexico and Guatemala ‘Safe Third Countries’ Trend Lines is produced and edited by Peter Dörrie, a freelance journalist and analyst focusing on security and resource politics in Africa. You can follow him on Twitter at @peterdoerrie. To send feedback or questions, email us at podcast@worldpoliticsreview.com.

La histórica toma del Capitolio por parte de simpatizantes del presidente Donald Trump, el pasado 6 de enero, revivió el debate sobre la institucionalidad de la nación. El Congreso inicia ahora el segundo juicio político contra el mandatario en un ambiente político y social intensamente agitado. Los demócratas lo acusan de “incitar a la insurrección” mientras que el mandatario considera que se trata de la más amplia “cacería de brujas” en su contra. Hoy, en Foro, analizan la situación Adam Isacson, director del Programa de Seguridad de la Oficina de Washington en Latinoamérica (WOLA)  y el historiador de la Universidad de Georgetown, el Dr. Eric Langer. Además, el coronavirus se convierte en la mayor causa de muertes en Estados Unidos. ¿Qué hacer ante el avance de la pandemia y qué tan preparado está Estados Unidos para enfrentar su avance? Tenemos una entrevista al Dr. Elmer Huerta, director del Programa de Prevención del Instituto contra el Cáncer en Washington.

The U.S. government is transitioning between two different visions of migration, while human mobility increases throughout Latin America. Adam Isacson and Maureen Meyer discuss what a humane and effective policy would entail, at home and region-wide.

Este es el podcast de la revista crisis, un análisis de los tres temas más importantes de la semana. Hoy en el primer bloque viajamos a los Estados Unidos, donde está teniendo lugar el proceso electoral más dramático del siglo. El Partido Demócrata puede volver al poder, pero el presidente Donald Trump denunció fraude y pretende bloquear la alternancia en el país emblema de la democracia occidental. ¿Logrará el sistema imponer sus códigos de normalidad o nos adentramos en una deriva inédita e impredecible? Hablamos con Alicia Castro y con Adam Isacson. En el segundo bloque nos ocupamos de la reunión que el Ministro de Economía Martín Guzmán sostuvo con los principales empresarios del país, tras la carta acuerdista de Cristina Fernández y en las vísperas del inicio de las conversaciones con el FMI. ¿Quién va a pagar los costos de una reconstrucción tranquila? Con el análisis de Diego Genoud. Por último entrevistamos al fiscal federal Fernando Domínguez sobre las novedades en el maravilloso mundo del Poder Judicial, luego del fallo de la Corte Suprema y el regreso de la nominación de Daniel Rafecas como Procurador General. Encontranos en todas las plataformas de podcast o los sábados de 8 a 9 en Radio Nacional, AM 870.

This month, Adam Isacson, WOLA's Director for Defense Oversight, interviews Francisco Cantú, author of The Line Becomes a River (2018) who spent four years in the Border Patrol. They discuss the often toxic culture of CBP and the current impact the agency has on the United States' approach to migration. Cantú currently lives in Arizona, is a full-time writer and teacher of creative writing, and that a volunteer with the Kino Border Initiative’s migrant accompaniment program, which provides support to asylum seekers detained in the ICE contracted/for-profit (CoreCivic) Eloy Detention Center. Beyond the Wall is a segment of the Latin America Today podcast, and a part of the Washington Office on Latin America's Beyond the Wall advocacy campaign. In the series, we will follow the thread of migration in the Americas beyond traditional barriers like language and borders. We will explore root causes of migration, the state of migrant rights in multiple countries and multiple borders and what we can do to protect human rights in one of the most pressing crises in our hemisphere. Sign up for updates here: https://www.wola.org/beyondthewall/signup-beyond-wall/ Music by Blue Dot Sessions and ericb399.

Un artículo publicado en la web de WOLA, (Washington Office of Latinoamérica) titulado; “En América Latina, los riesgos de COVID-19 perturban permanentemente las relaciones entre civiles y militares”, escrito por Adam Isacson quien ha trabajado en defensa, seguridad y consolidación de la paz en América Latina desde 1994 y ahora dirige el programa de Supervisión de Defensa de WOLA , muestra una mirada interesante de una tendencia perturbadora en la región. Se trata de cómo el COVID-19 ha acelerado la recurrencia de la región a sus fuerzas armadas. Los soldados hacen vida en las calles con una presencia más intensa, imponen bloqueos y toques de queda, distribuyen alimentos y participan en tareas anteriormente ejecutadas por civiles. ¿Se justifica la militarización en Venezuela y otros países de la región? ¿QUé hay detrás de los procesos que llevan a las fuerzas militares a la calle? César Miguel Rondón analiza el tema junto al internacionalista y profesor universitario Félix Gerardo Arellano y el profesor de relaciones internacionales en la universidad de Chile, Cristian Fuentes. @crfuentes --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sincodigo/message

Opinan el columnista Ishaan Tharoor del Post y el historiador Carlos Malamud del Real Instituto Elcano. Hablamos con dos cultivadores de coca en Colombia y con Adam Isacson de WOLA

Ariel Ávila conversó con el senador Antonio Sanguino y con el especialista norteamericano Adam Isacson. Ambos analizaron el impacto de estos militares en la lucha contra las drogas y las posibilidades de que estos tengan que ver con Venezuela y el impacto político.

Adam Isacson joins us today to help us understand the challenges, successes, and pitfalls of local, US, and international aid and security programs in Colombia. We discuss lessons learned and how leveraging multi sector partnerships (private, government, academic, military, NGO), and developing the right leaders, may improve the results of security and humanitarian aid efforts and accelerate development goals in Colombia and across the region. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/latampodcast/support

Mario Moreno, WOLA's VP for Communications, interviews Director for Defense Oversight Adam Isacson and Director for Mexico and Migrant Rights Maureen Meyer on current challenges the region faces from ineffective migration policies and protection of migrant rights and what might be done to change the situation. Beyond the Wall is a bilingual segment of the Latin America Today podcast, and a part of the Washington Office on Latin America's Beyond the Wall advocacy campaign. In the series, we will follow the thread of migration in the Americas beyond traditional barriers like language and borders. We will explore root causes of migration, the state of migrant rights in multiple countries and multiple borders and what we can do to protect human rights in one of the most pressing crises in our hemisphere. Sign up for updates here: https://www.wola.org/beyondthewall/signup-beyond-wall/ Music by Blue Dot Sessions and ericb399. Episode Transcript Intro clips (00:01): The countries of the Northern triangle -- Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala -- are facing a set of conditions that are forcing many families and children to migrate from their community. They're saying "we're here in the shelter, I'm afraid to put my kids into school" Crimes, corruption, poverty and inequality. And they don't have a lot of hope because we know that most people get turned away. These issues are forcing many to seek protection and opportunities elsewhere. What do we project as a country with how we're treating these people, many of which are seeking protection? Barbed wire on the top of the fence...It looks like world war one out there. President Donald Trump (00:32): Someone at border crossing comes in, you say sorry, we're taking you back. That's if we're nice and I want to do that. WOLA Expert Quote (00:37): Say you've been kidnapped in a Mexican border town, you may feel so unsafe there that you're willing to run the risk of all the insecurities that led you to flee your home in the first place. But is that really a choice? Lisette Alvarez (00:49): Hi, my name is Lisette Alvarez and this is Beyond the Wall. Speaker 3 (01:02): Beyond the wall is a bilingual segment of the Latin America today podcast, and a part of the Washington Office on Latin America's (WOLA's) Beyond the wall advocacy campaign. In the series, we will follow the thread of migration in the Americas beyond traditional barriers like language and borders. We will explore root causes of migration, the state of migrant rights in multiple countries and multiple borders and what we can do to protect human rights in one of the most pressing crises in our hemisphere. In this first interview, Mario Moreno, WOLA's VP for communications interviews Adam Isacson, director for defense oversight and Maureen Meyer director for Mexico and migrant rights. The discussion focuses on current challenges the region faces from ineffective migration policies and protection of migrant rights and what might be done to change the situation. Mario Moreno (01:55): My name is Mario Moreno. I'm the vice president for communications at the Washington office in Latin America. Today we're here to talk about central American migration and us migration policy. Now, before I introduce our two experts who are here with us, let me first set the table for you. In the last few years, hundreds of thousands of central American migrants of like dangerous and untenable situation in their home communities. These include poverty, climate change, crime, corruption and violence. These migrants have traversed Mexico facing dual threats from organized crime and corrupt migration or law enforcement officials. Along the way, they've navigated the dangers of Mexican border towns and arrived at U S ports of entry where they've actively sought to be taken into custody by customs and border patrol protection agents in order to make a heartbreaking request asylum in the United States. This has created a significant policy challenge addressing it requires smart and compassionate policymaking that should include making significant investments to address the root causes of in central American countries, providing for the safety of migrants in transit and strengthening asylum systems in the United States, in Mexico, and other countries in the region. Sadly, which should be characterized as a significant policy and administrative challenge has instead turned into a humanitarian crisis on both sides of the U S Mexico border here to talk about the scale of the humanitarian crisis and present ideas for solutions. WOLA's director for defense oversight, Adam Isacson and WOLA's director for Mexico and migrant rights, Maureen Meyer, thank you both for joining this conversation. So in the last several years, the Trump administration has sparked a contentious nationwide debate on border enforcement as his administration has pushed for a border wall. The debate on border enforcement has shifted to extremes and it's unclear how much progress has been made on the wall itself. Where does this debate actually stand currently, and if you could imagine what a, what a what a, what a human rights respecting alternative to border policy would be, what does that look like for you Adam? Adam Isacson (04:06): Thanks Mario. Let me just give a background on where the wall stands real fast. Uh, about a hundred, a little more than a hundred miles of wall had been built. Um, so far. Uh, during the Trump administration, nearly all of that is replacing already existing wall. There's not much out there that's new. Um, it has however, completely polarized the debate, uh, here in Washington, uh, in a way that makes our our work challenging. Actually there are no swing votes. Um, the, uh, democratic party is entirely with us, uh, down to the most conservative member. I'm not building any border wall and Mo, nearly all of the Republican party is against us. Very few are crossing the lines. Um, we've actually pretty much one in Congress every year when there is an appropriations bill, uh, they give just a pittance of money for the wall. Um, you all remember when Donald Trump closed or the PS shut down the government because he couldn't get what he wanted out of Congress where we're losing right now on the wall or on something that just about nobody, including top leadership has influenced, uh, the president declared a state of emergency. Adam Isacson (05:19): Um, a law from the 1970s reinterpreted by the Supreme court in the 80s, gives him the power, uh, to take money out of the, of another or agency's budget, in this case, the huge defense budget and put it into wall building. Um, and as of now, out of every $4 being spent to build new border wall, three of it was not approved by Congress. It's taken by Fiat. And that power, that emergency power is still be challenged in the court system. Uh, but it may be several more months before we know the outcome of that. And of course it is pretty easy to prove that there's not an emergency at the border. So that's where things stand right now. Um, I guess one big challenge right now in Congress, um, is ensuring that our friends are up to date, that they're not fighting the last war, that they're not just asking questions as important as it is, that they're just not just asking questions and holding hearings about family separation, which is, you know, the big heart of 2018 or about kids in cages, the big horror of 18 and 19, but that we're also talking about the remain in Mexico program. We're also talking about the shippings of people to Guatemala to go seek asylum there and, and all of the other actions that have been taken, it pretty much shut down the right to seek a salad at the border. Maureen Meyer (06:34): Yeah. And I think just to add on that, it's sort of don't want to underestimate the dramatic impact that the board construction w the wall construction is having at the border. I'm a native of Arizona. Seeing the amount of Solero cactuses that have been cut down that take 200 years to grow to the height that they are is devastating local communities. Indigenous communities are not being consulted as they slash disregard environmental and other laws to rapidly build more walls in this election year. So I think there is a real concern of just the pace it's going and yes there are alternatives to this. As you mentioned Mario, we've, WOLA, put together lots of proposals on how do you make better use of existing resources, looking at technology, looking at deployments. Also, how do you invest in the ports of entry? I mean if your main concern is illicit entry of drugs in the country and also promoting commerce, a lot more money needs to put into the ports of entry. Looking at how do you hold accountable customs and border protection agents, ice agents that abuse citizens, residents and migrants. And I think those are the other areas where we are working and members of Congress are also really interested in looking at what are the alternatives to a more effective approach to border security and immigration enforcement. Mario Moreno (07:46): Great. Uh, thank you both Adam and Maureen for that. You know, it's clear to me that the border debate is important, but it's not the entirety of the challenges that we face currently as it relates to migration policy in the United States. There's all, and I think Adam, you touched on this. There's been a systematic attempt to end the right to asylum as we know it through the implementation of safe third country deals through the third country asylum ban through Remain in Mexico, while ignoring fundamental investments, uh, to deal with our badly broken asylum system. Maureen, what's been the impact of this approach on migrants and what are alternatives exist to fixing the asylum system as it stands? Maureen Meyer (08:23): I mean, I think first it's important to run through that sort of series of efforts that have been implemented, like in, in order to limit access to asylum at the border. The first was metering. So limiting how many people could approach a port of entry every day. Adam just sent around another report that came out about about 12,000 people still waiting for a turn to do it the right way. Most people are entering up to 10 if they're lucky. Families are being admitted a day at different ports of entry. The Remain in Mexico program which is forcing asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their immigration proceedings are happening. About 59,000 people are estimated to have gone through the program. There's a very short window of victory on Friday when the ninth circuit had ruled that this was violating us law and probably non refoulment. So the idea that you shouldn't be returning people back to danger, they also granted themselves the administration to stay late Friday evening, meaning that the program continues until the next few days when they're looking at um, what will be the final resolution of the legality of this program? There is the third country asylum transit ban, which basically means if you crossed into the United States after July 15th, 2019 you can be denied asylum because the U.S. Government has deemed that you transmit it through another country that should have protected you. Like you should have requested asylum in another country before reaching the United States. So it applies to anybody except Mexicans to deal with both Mexicans and any other individual that may not go through this program. There are new fast track programs that are basically streamlining asylum procedures to less than 10 days while people are held in detention with no access to lawyers. So you're seeing the steady crackdown or the ability to send people to Guatemala. So a cooperation agreement about a thousand people according to Chad Wolf last week, had been sent to Guatemala often not even knowing when they got on a plane where they were going. So we really have very limited ability to access asylum currently at the U S next go border. And it's clearly an attempt by this administration to limit access to projection. The country limit legal migration of the country as well. And clearly there are things that can be done in the future. Litigation is important. There are lawsuits challenging. Every single one of these measures. We've been happy to be part of submitting affidavits and Amicus, two different lawsuits, and there are things that could be reversed because everything that has been implemented so far has been through executive order. Adam Isacson (10:49): You had asked, uh, what are alternative approaches to fixing the asylum system? I mean, just in the one minute version of that. Um, first, I mean, we are in this historic moment of human mobility in Latin America. It's not a good moment. And you have four and a half million Venezuelans all over South America. You've got 100,000 Nicaraguans all in just about all in Costa Rica. And of course, uh, about a million essential Americans since 2014 most of the kids and families, we just gotta get used to it. We have to realize we are in a moment of a lot more asylum seekers in our system was set up to handle. So we have to adjust our system. And that's really five things, some of which I think we'll discuss in more detail in a minute. One, helping central America stop being a place people feel compelled to flee, helping Mexico shoulder more of the burden and also treat the migrants better as they make the journey and cross fix our ports of entry. People shouldn't have to cross the Rio Grande or go through the desert. Um, and if they're wanting to seek us out and they should just be able to show up at a port and ask; alternative state attention so you're not locked up while you wait for your asylum case to actually come up in court and just more judges work capacity and an independent court system and out independent of the justice department, uh, so that people can actually get a decision quickly rather than wait three or four years in the United States. I mean, that's in a nutshell what a more humane asylum system would look like, Mario Moreno (12:08): You know, something that both of you mentioned is, is Mexico is bearing the brunt of a lot of these decisions. Um, they, Mexico with which has a fundamentally broken migration system to begin with has seen an exponential growth in people applying for asylum in the country. Uh, and, and its immigration system seems to be on the verge of being overrun. Maureen, can you dive into some of the challenges that Mexico is facing as it relates to migrants in Mexico and what can be done to address these challenges? Maureen Meyer (12:37): Yeah, I think their biggest challenge is the Trump administration. And responding to threats of tariff. I mean if you look at the way the Mexican government has responded since may and June of last year, it was precisely due to the threat of imposing tariffs on Mexican goods, which forced them to deploy national guardsman. So most of the military elements to Mexico, Southern and Northern borders to stop people from coming apprehensions dramatically increased the apprehended over 186,000 people last year and many of which likely could have qualified for protection or were hoping to request asylum in the United States. So I think there one big challenge is responding to a very fickle and punitive administration here that is using immigration as a political elective electoral issue, but the others just capacity itself. I think it is clear Mexico's becoming a destination country for more and more asylum seekers in part that's due to how difficult it is to reach the United States, but it's also because there is more awareness of how do you qualify for protection in Mexico. You have more and more people effectively settling in Mexico, which means that they, they feel like they can make a home there and that message goes out to other family members. We certainly met asylum seekers in Chapas last summer that said, if I get asylum, I'm staying here, I'm going to Northern Mexico, I have family there, I want to work there. So that's really, I think, a big role, but they haven't embraced it completely. Mexico is still facing significant financial challenges. They received over 70,000 asylum claims last year and almost 12,000 claims in the first two months of this year alone. Yet their budget for their asylum system is $2.35 million. That's really low. It's, I think it's about 30 some dollars per asylum seeker, if you want to calculate it that way. Most of their refugee agency Kumar's budget is supported by the UNHCR, which is doing important work, but I think longer term Mexico certainly needs to invest in its own system and if it's going to keep enforcing and wanting to do this, government administrations bidding on immigration enforcement, they certainly need to treat people a lot better when they're detaining them and stop holding them in these very squalid. I think a lot of times detention center conditions that are faced with overcrowding, lack of adequate food, healthcare, et cetera. Mario Moreno (14:52): Anything to add here? Adam Isacson (14:53): Yeah, no, struck me in Tapachula now has a part of town Tapachula is that a city of about 200,000 people right by the Guatemala border and as a part of town called Little Africa. Uh, because there are so many people from Africa stranded there, or just deciding to settle there at this point, uh, Tijuana has a Haitian neighborhood now, uh, there are, pupusarias popping up around Mexico city and its environments. Uh, this is something, this is a new reality for Mexico, which was never a destination country before. Um, but I'm talking about in those neighborhoods, the people who actually have some legal status, they've been through, they've gotten asylum or something similar, uh, from Camara. This agency, Maureen mentioned when we visited their office in Tapachula, they were just glutted. They had people massed around their headquarters in this residential neighborhood of Tapachula, almost all of them African or Haitian or Cuban trying to just even get an appointment. And it was utter chaos outside. The director of the office was so backlogged, they didn't even have, um, uh, resources for printer ink and stuff. Unless UNHCR was helping them out. And she actually just said to us, I keep looking at that ceiling and I can't believe I haven't hung myself yet. And that's no way in which to work on. And when I say the United States need to, it needs to adjust to this new reality of migration. So does Mexico and they're doing, um, they need to do more than what they can, but they do need to do a lot more and we should be helping them. Um, in addition to just processing people and giving them status, I mean, those who are awaiting, uh, this status or those who are coming through Mexico and don't have status yet are easy prey for organized crime, for kidnappers, for extortionists, for people, bangs, bands that do assault. And too often the local authorities were in that any part of Mexico they're in are in league with the bad guys. Uh, uh, part of the corruption or sometimes doing the shaking down themselves. Uh, Mexico needs to do a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot more on the almost complete impunity that people who prey on migrants enjoy in Mexico right now. It's a very dangerous and terrifying, uh, trip that migrants make across Mexican territory. Mario Moreno (16:55): Thank you both. I think the last part of the puzzle here is, is we've talked about the U.S.-Mexico border, about the ending of asylum as we know it. We've talked about Mexico becoming a destination country, but a big part of this is central America and, and in a critical pieces. How do you address central American migration by investing on solutions to conditions on the ground in these countries? Adam, starting with you, what is the scale of the challenges that are, that are that what Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras are facing and how can the U S support progress in these countries? Adam Isacson (17:29): The scale is enormous. Uh, these, you know, a lot of us got to know these countries during the years when they are in a state of civil war. Actually, most measures of violence and homicide, um, except for the peak years of the civil Wars. Most measures of violence and homicide are higher now. Uh, the UN, uh, world health organization says that any country with a homicide rate of 10 homicides per 100,000 residents each year is in a state of quote unquote endemic violence. Well, the Northern triangle countries are routinely over 40 or 50 or 100 thousand a year, four or five times that, that, that level, that El Salvador, a couple of years ago, 2015 reached a hundred per a hundred thousand, which is worst than most, uh, of the armed conflicts we've seen around the world, even if it's not formally called an armed conflict. That's the severity of the problem that's expelling people that we're dealing with here. Institutions, uh, those providing security, those providing rule of law have largely collapsed. Um, there are some very brave people in those countries, uh, in prosecutor's offices. Um, judges, um, people, uh, journalists, human rights defenders who are doing the best they can right now. They've been enduring the backlash in all three countries, uh, from really from corrupt elites, uh, who don't find it to be all that convenient that there'd be a state that's actually willing to protect people and enforce the rule of law evenly. Um, the backlash has kicked out just in the past few months. Uh, UN and OAS anticorruption bodies that were investigating government corruption and government ties to organized crime. They're gone now. It's a key firewall that the Trump administration pretty much blindly allows, allowed to close down and go away from the United States to help. Uh, we can't just sort of throw money at police. We can't just throw money at, you know, uh, agricultural programs. Although police reform and agricultural, you know, food safe security is important. We also really need to back the reformers back, the people working to make states function for people. Cause if they don't, people are gonna keep coming. And you know, what I just proposed, there is not a short term solution. There really is no short term way to prevent large numbers of people from leaving central America. It's going to be a dangerous and poor place for a while and climate change is going to make it worse. But we have to be focusing on that media time horizon. How can we make it more livable in 10 or 15 years? And that path goes through institutions and reducing impunity. Maureen Meyer (19:56): And I think just to look at you see on your screen here, U S assistance by fiscal year, looking at all the different areas that us assistance can be beneficial to supporting efforts in central America. We certainly have worked to try to preserve assistance in central America. So the whole thought of somehow cutting aid because countries are not working hard enough to stop their citizens from leaving is not the solution and not going to really at all address why people continue to flee their homes. And so one is looking at how has you assistance, um, focused, what does it work? Is it working? We had a larger project and talk about at the end what we're doing that monitors the impact of um, us assistance to central America. But just to add, I think from everything Adam said, if the U S is going to be engaging, ensuring that it's a large part of the support does go to these crusaders that are working on anticorruption efforts within and outside of government and making sure any U S assistance is conditioned on progress being made by these governments to strengthen public institutions, not just giving money away without having any real oversight over how it's being used or the commitment of these governments to tackle these deep held problems of weak institutions and widespread corruption. Mario Moreno (21:06): So so thank you both sort of laid out a fairly compelling picture that this is, this is a significant issue that spans the entire region and that there's no clear cut solutions that it's going to take a while for us to get our hands around. You know, how do we secure the border in a way that respects human rights? How do we strengthen the asylum system? How do we work with Mexico to make sure that migrants in transit or that stay in Mexico are treated with dignity and respect and that will be addressed. Some of these conditions on the ground in central America a lot to tackle. Um, so walk me through how you're tackling all these issues here at WOLA. What's, you know, what are you working on? Maureen Meyer (21:46): All right, I'll start. I'm sure Adam has more to say. I mean, a, a big part is working to educate policy makers in Congress about what's going on at the border and South of the border. So providing them with Up To Date information and analysis on border enforcement and security, what's happening with asylum seekers that are forced to wait on the Mexican side of the border. What does Mexico's asylum system look like, what's happening in central America? And then also urging and encouraging us support for both protection efforts throughout the region, but also, as we said, ongoing assistance to central America. We work to shape media coverage, either that's pitching stories to reporters, putting reporters in contact with colleagues on the ground. I think it's been a key part of what we've done in the past years of ensuring they understand from people that are working in these communities, what it really looks like and what it, um, what would be policy solutions. We advocate a lot with the Mexican government on their responsibility. All of the concerns we have about what's happening with asylum seekers on the Mexican side of the border with the MPP program, et cetera, are also in part because the Mexican allowed that to happen. They permitted people to be sent back to these dangerous Mexican border towns. So really pushing the Mexican government. We've led efforts with other organizations to say, what are you doing as Mexico to protect people that are in need and what are you doing to ensure that you're building up your own asylum seeker asylum system, sorry. And working investigate the multiple crimes and abuses that happened against migrants on transit. And I think lastly we have, uh, the project that many of you probably heard about with Temple University law school, which is also providing resources for work lawyers working on asylum cases from um, Guatemala, El Salvador. And Honduras. We just launched our third series of resources last in February actually, that look at why different issue, how, how country conditions in central America and how getting that information to lawyers can really support asylum claims here. So I think that's also been how do we make use of our expertise as on the region versus an organization that does direct legal assistance. What we can provide as the expert analysis and partnering with Temple has been a great way to do that. Adam Isacson (23:56): Yeah, I mean, in addition to everything that we're supporting here from reformers and central America to the ports of entry to everything else, there's a lot we post. Uh, that's actually, it's probably taking most of our time right now. Um, ensuring that the appropriations bills that come out of Congress don't include a lot of money or any for the wall, uh, for border patrol expansion for a detention space, for ICE, for more military deployments, uh, to the border. Um, and that includes more, uh, budget for humanitarian assistance during processing and efforts to try to change this really increasingly sick institutional culture at border patrol and CBP. And ice. So obviously with the current configuration we have here in Washington, we're not going to get much of that. We're going to stop a lot of some of what I just said, but we're not going to get a real reform agenda passed in Congress in the year 2020. Um, we however, are working with legislators to try to lay the groundwork in the event that there's a different executive branch next January. We don't want to have to start from scratch and just have to hit the ground running and decide what it is. Uh, people are going to get or get, get going around. Um, we're laying the groundwork now and we do that through regular contact with legislators. We're talking to legislative staff just this afternoon, uh, who are going to visit Mexico Southern border, um, about, you know, how to organize their trip. Um, and we have a lot of conversations like that all the time based really on the field work and research we do, which is expensive, but absolutely essential is what we're getting a lot of information that no one else gets. Um, in addition to the media work that, that Maureen mentioned. So a lot of this is looking toward, you know, laying the groundwork for next year. If next year ends up with the same configuration, we'll put it that way. Uh, we've got a lot of problems, but we will continue to find ways to, uh, to push back, uh, with every tool available or disposal. Mario Moreno (25:45): Great. Well, I want to thank you both for joining this conversation and I want to thank everybody for listening. This is an issue that, as you've heard, we'll continue to track closely. So stay tuned for updates. Speaker 3 (25:59): Join WOLA and advocating for migrant policies that respect human rights. If you can do one thing after listening to this episode, share what you've learned on social media using the hashtag beyond the wall. You can also stay updated by signing up for our newsletter at wola dot org forward slash beyond the wall. Thank you for listening.  

The U.S. policy of "Remain in Mexico", building the border wall, and the overall criminalization of Central American migrants and asylum seekers has produced a number human rights, economic, security, and administrative consequences on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. During the week of January 20th, the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) staff and partners visited El Paso and Ciudad Juarez in order to observe and document the state of migration and migrant rights at the border. This interview was conducted with Adam Isacson, WOLA Director for Defense Oversight, in the early morning hours after a number of visits with U.S. Border Patrol, migrant shelters, and civil society partners who work on behalf of migrant rights. To learn more about the latest developments on the border and migrant rights, follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our email newsletter.

Adam Isacson of WOLA (The Washington Office on Latin America) needs no introduction to the latin americanists amongst us, but, suffice it to say that it was an honour to invite him on the Colombia Calling podcast and hear his thoughts about recent events here in Colombia. As the Director of Defence Oversight for WOLA, Isacson's remit takes in all of latin america and now includes border issues such as those occurring right now on the Mexico/ US frontier and so, we manage to catch him for a few short minutes in Bogota to discuss: President Duque's speech to the UN, the future for former president Alvaro Uribe, the reality on the ground in Colombia's far-off regions such as Choco and Arauca and so much more. Frankly, 35 minutes is nowhere near long enough with one of the most knowledgeable voices for human rights in the region. Tune in and enjoy and be sure to check out his website at: https://adamisacson.com/

The Trump administration has gone full hard-line against Cuba, announcing severe new measures—including a once-unthinkable authority to allow owners of seized Cuban property to sue in U.S. courts.   WOLA's vice president for programs, Geoff Thale, explains why these new punishments and restrictions won't bring "regime change" to the island, and instead how they will hurt its struggling private sector. He and host Adam Isacson look at the politics underlying these steps, and whether they're likely to be long-lasting.

The Democratic Party won a majority of the House of Representatives in the November 6 midterm election. Adam Isacson talks with WOLA's Director for Cuba, Marguerite Jiménez, about what this means. They explain what an opposition party can do when it has majority control of a chamber. They identify some of the Democratic members of Congress who will play key roles in determining U.S. policy toward the region. They look at how oversight of diplomacy and security policy might improve. And they assess the likelihood of changes to Cuba policy, border security policy, and U.S. assistance programs.

The U.S. government finally has a budget for 2018. Congress almost completely rejected President Trump’s border wall proposal, and reversed his deep cuts in aid to Latin America. Adam Isacson, Maureen Meyer, and Geoff Thale discuss what happened.

Seeking to better their lives, thousands of immigrants pass through its southern border every day. The journey is never easy. Beatings, sexual assaults, murder, and other encounters with cartels await these immigrants on their journey north. This harsh reality not only occurs on the border that the United States and Mexico share, but also on the border of Mexico and Guatemala. In our last episode of the semester, we sit down with a Guatemalan migrant who has made this journey north and a Latin American policy expert to talk about this perilous journey, the relationship between police and organized crime and solutions to the humanitarian crisis in Mexico. Host: Niko Marcich Researcher: Tyler Hinkle Guest Interview: Director for Defense Oversight at the Washington Office on Latin America, Adam Isacson and a Guatemalan immigrant Producer: Andy Carluccio Global Inquirer is a production of the International Relations Organization at UVa. We are also affiliated with TEEJ.fm, UVa's undergraduate podcasting network. Music: Balmorhea - "Masollan", The Album Leaf - "The Light", Clem Leek - "You're so Far Away", Patrick O'Hearn - "Beyond This Moment" and "So Goes The Current"

This special edition of Latin Pulse includes an opportunity to hear a Cuban perspective on politics and diplomacy, along with an analysis of what derailed the peace process in Colombia.  A Cuban professor discusses the importance of continued exchanges between the United States and Cuba, while analyzing reactions to U.S. programs designed at political change and Cuban succession.  The program also discusses the rejection of the peace treaty with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The news segment covers doubts about the sincerity of Venezuela's president during the papal negotiations to end the country's political crisis and avert violence.The program includes interviews with:Santiago Perez Benitez of the University of Havana & the Cuban Center for International Political Research (CIPI); andAdam Isacson of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA).Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell; andAssociate Producer: Jim Singer. (To download or stream this podcast, click here.)   (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.) podcastnewsLatin AmericapoliticsVenezuelaCubadiplomacyeducationThe VaticanNicolas MaduroPope FrancisColombiaUnited StatesembargoJuan Manuel SantosU.S. State DepartmentUSAIDeconomicscorruptionagricultureRaul CastromediaRussiaChinaCanadaFidel Castroeconomic reformMiguel Diaz-CanelplebisciteAlvaro UribeFARCjusticeEuropean Unionhuman rightspeace accord

The proposed peace treaty dealing with the FARC in Colombia and the deterioration of democracy in Nicaragua are the twin themes on Latin Pulse this week. First, the program dissects the proposed peace pact between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC by its Spanish acronym) and the Colombian government. Also, the program explores how President Daniel Ortega has manipulated the electoral system in Nicaragua. The news segment of the program covers the end of Dilma Rousseff's presidency as the Brazilian Senate found her guilty of shifting funds without Congressional approval and with misleading the Brazilian Congress.The program includes in-depth interviews with:Adam Isacson of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA); andManuel Orozco of the Inter-American Dialogue. Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell; andTechnical Director: Jim Singer. (To download or stream this podcast, click here.)   (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.) podcastnewsLatin Americapolitics BrazilimpeachmentColombiaFARCELNDilma RousseffUnited StatesNicaraguaSandinistasFSLNjusticeVenezuelaMichel Temerpeace treatycivil warjusticeAlvaro UribeDaniel OrtegaelectionsdemocracyUNceasefirePedro ReyesLiberal PartyFidel CastrocrimeJoe BidenUnited Nations businessinfrastructureinequalitytransportationoilracismAfro-Cubansminority issuesHonduras

Colombia’s half-century war with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) has cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and remains Latin America’s longest armed conflict. After more than three years of talks, the Colombian government and the guerrillas are nearing a self-imposed deadline for the completion of peace negotiations. Despite the support that the peace process enjoys outside Colombia, key provisions already agreed to are leading many to reject the agreement. José Miguel Vivanco will explain why the lack of meaningful accountability for crimes against humanity committed by both parties contravenes international law, delegitimizes the negotiations, and undermines the chance for sustainable peace. Adam Isacson will make the case in favor of the agreement. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

War and peace in Colombia and Mexico provide the themes on Latin Pulse. The program updates the status of the long-running peace talks in the 51-year-old civil war in Colombia.  This discussion includes fears that different rebel groups will supplant the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (the FARC).  The program also analyzes the problems of human rights and corruption in Mexico as that country tries to prosecute its part in the Drug War. The news segment of the program covers the feud between Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump and Vicente Fox, the former president of Mexico, over Trump's immigration proposals.The program includes in-depth interviews with:Adam Isacson of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA); andEric Olson of the Woodrow Wilson Center.Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell; Technical Director: Jim Singer; andAssociate Producer: Natalie Ottinger.(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)   (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.) podcastnewsLatin AmericapoliticselectionsColombiaMexicoimmigrationUnited StatesBarack Obamacivil warDrug WarDonald TrumpVicente FoxJuan Manuel SantosEnrique Pena NietoJoaquin "El Chapo" GuzmanFARCpeace negotiationsAlvaro Uribeorganized crimedrug cartelsillegal miningFelipe CalderonELNjusticeCubaviolenceeconomicsmilitiasinfrastructurepoliceinsurgentsrebelscocainePANhomicidesoilCubadiplomacyfinancecrimeArgentina

War and peace are the central themes on Latin Pulse this week. The program includes an in-depth discussion about breakthroughs in the peace process that could end 51 years of civil war in Colombia.  The program also discusses tensions in the border regions between Venezuela and Colombia, and on Venezuela's border with Guyana and what those tensions mean in the current political climate.  The news segment of the program covers new calls for impeachment to remove President Dilma Rousseff from office in Brazil.The program includes in-depth interviews with:Adam Isacson of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA); andDavid Smilde of Tulane University.Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell; Technical Director: Jim Singer; andAssistant Producer: Brooklynn Engel.(To download or stream this podcast, click here.) (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.) podcastnewsLatin AmericaBrazilpoliticscorruptionColombiaVenezuelaGuyanabusinessUnited NationsDilma Rousseffcivil warDrug WarFARCNicolas MaduroRodrigo Londonohuman rightsJuan Manuel SantoseconomicsenergydiplomacyimpeachmentPetrobrasoiljusticeeconomicspeace talksEl SalvadorCentral AmericamilitarymediainsurgentsparamilitariesGuatemalaELNviolencecrimedeportationsUNASURDavid Grangerborder disputeBan Ki-Moon

Turmoil in Venezuela and the progress in the peace talks for the civil war in Colombia are the twin themes this week on Latin Pulse. The first half of the program analyzes the politics surrounding the arrest of Mayor Antonio Ledezma of Caracas and how that arrest has drawn international reaction.  The second half of the program tracks the ongoing talks attempting to end the 51-year-old war in Colombia.  The news segment of the program covers the latest in the case of Alberto Nisman in Argentina and how a judge has set aside an indictment against the country's president.The program includes in-depth interviews with:Michael McCarthy of American University's Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS); andAdam Isacson of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA).Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell; Producer: Jim Singer; andProduction Assistant: Gabriela Canchola.(To download or stream this podcast, click here.) (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.) podcastnewsLatin AmericadiplomacyColombiaVenezuelaEcuadorpoliticsrepressionArgentinaAlberto NismanprotestUnited StatesBrazilprotest movementcivil warFARCCubajusticePeruterrorismeconomicsespionageUNASUROASJulio BorgesSalvador AllendeinflationSpain ChilemediacoupceasefiremilitaryweaponsimperialismJuan Manuel SantosCristina Fernandez de KirchnerNicolas MaduroAntonio LedezmaLeopoldo LopezJoe Bidenpeace talksErnesto SamperUnited NationsHugo Chavez

The historic changes between Cuba and the United States are rolling out but the Obama administration is also making aggressive diplomatic moves throughout Latin America.  That strategic shift provides the centerpiece for discussion on Latin Pulse this week. The program takes a wide-ranging view of the geopolitical situation in Latin America and provides a preview of the summit next week of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).  The news segment of the program focuses on the negotiations between the U.S. and Cuba and President Barack Obama's policy pronouncements on Cuba.The program includes in-depth interviews with:Adam Isacson of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA); andMichael McCarthy of American University's Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS). Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell; Producer: Jim Singer; Engineering Support: Zach Kromer; andProduction Assistant: Gabriela Canchola.(To download or stream this podcast, click here.) (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.) podcastnewsLatin AmericaCubaMexicoGuatemaladiplomacytradeUnited StatestourismRaul CastrotravelCentral AmericaBarack ObamaU.S. CongressespionageAlan GrossNSAPope Francis Iran ChinaCanadaCELACBrazilBoliviaColombiaHondurasNicaraguaimmigrationVenezuelaeconomicspoliticscoupsOASPanamaJohn KerryJoe BidenDilma RousseffEvo MoralesEl SalvadorCosta RicaNicolas MaduroPatrick LeahyJeff FlakeRobert MenendezMarco RubioTed CruzEdward SnowdenLaura ChinchillaDaniel OrtegaMonroe DoctrineSummit of the AmericasU.S. State DepartmentChris Van HollenLuis Guillermo Solis

A panel discussion with: Lisa Haugaard, Executive Director of the Latin America Working Group; Joy Olson, Executive Director of the Washington Office on Latin America; Adam Isacson, Senior Associate at the Center for International Policy. From the Latin American Briefing Series. Co-sponsored by the Center for Latin American Studies and the International House Global Voices Program.

A panel discussion with: Lisa Haugaard, Executive Director of the Latin America Working Group; Joy Olson, Executive Director of the Washington Office on Latin America; Adam Isacson, Senior Associate at the Center for International Policy. From the Latin American Briefing Series. Co-sponsored by the Center for Latin American Studies and the International House Global Voices Program.

A panel discussion with: Lisa Haugaard, Executive Director of the Latin America Working Group; Joy Olson, Executive Director of the Washington Office on Latin America; Adam Isacson, Senior Associate at the Center for International Policy. From the Latin American Briefing Series. Co-sponsored by the Center for Latin American Studies and the International House Global Voices Program.