Friday Reading List - 16 May 2025
Includes links from all over Latin America, but this week, there are many Mexico stories to read and write about
Good morning from Vienna, Virginia.
This week’s articles and newsletters
WPR - Transnational Gangs Are Just a Prop in Trump’s ‘Deportation Theater’
Monday - US Policy in LatAm - I cover US policy toward Venezuela and some of the shifts in Trump administration personnel.
Wednesday - Honduras election notes
Thursday - Six Stories - including comments on Peru PM resignation, Colombia labor reform failing, and Bolivian President Arce declining reelection
The Tuesday newsletter and Friday list of links remain free and without a paywall. Paying subscribers receive more content, including Monday’s newsletters on US policy in Latin America and Thursday’s comments about politics and security around the region. It’s $90 per year for individuals and $350 per year for institutions. Please subscribe to support this newsletter and receive additional content.
Reading List
NYT - Xi Woos Latin America With Promises of Cooperation on Technology
FT - Latin America wary of US trade backlash as it builds relations with China
Legado - Of Course, US Actions May Facilitate China’s Advance in Latin America
MXPE - A breakdown of Plan México, Sheinbaum’s flagship economic policy
ProPublica - Trump Administration Moves to Block the U.S. Travel of Mexican Politicians Who It Says Are Linked to the Drug Trade
WSJ - Bags of Cash From Drug Cartels Flood Teller Windows at U.S. Banks
NYT - Trump’s Military Buildup at the Border Expands
AP - Mexican security chief confirms cartel family members entered US in a deal with Trump administration
WSJ - The Underground Hunt for Iván Archivaldo Guzmán, Mexico’s Most Wanted Drug Kingpin
Crashout - The US-Mexico Oil Theft Racket
Reuters - Norway's wealth fund sells all its fixed income from Mexico's Pemex due corruption risk
CSIS - Mexico’s Telecommunications Law: Bolstering Access or Curtailing Competition?
Economist - Mexico will be the only country that elects all its judges
Washington Post - This lawyer was counsel to El Chapo — and could soon be one of Mexico’s judges
Bloomberg - Mexico’s Fintech Boom Needs Help from the Government
WSJ - China Is Building Megaports in South America to Feed Its Need for Crops
Economist - Brazilian supercows are taking over the world
Folha - Brasil vê nos reatores nucleares solução para estabilizar sistema energético e atrair data centers
CNAS - Countering the Digital Silk Road: Brazil
Reuters - Traders rebrand Venezuelan oil for China as Brazilian, sources and tanker trackers say
Washington Post - Gabbard fires leaders of intelligence group that wrote Venezuela assessment
Razon Publica - La guerra por la frontera - Colombia-Venezuela border
Bloomberg - Colombia Extortion Gangs Reach Key Economic, Energy-Producing Area
Bloomberg - Colombia’s Petro to Sign China Investment Deal as Beijing’s Influence Grows - I’m quoted here.
AP - Colombia takes regional lead in Indigenous self-government, raising hopes for Amazon protection
BBC - Peru's prime minister resigns ahead of no-confidence vote
Guardian - ‘We are witnessing ecocide’: Santander accused of funding vast deforestation
Guardian - Trump cabinet member’s links to El Salvador crypto firm under scrutiny
PWS - Bukele cracks down on peaceful protests outside his home: blames NGOs
AP - El Salvador president announces 'foreign agents' proposal, fueling concerns of crackdown on dissent
Americas Quarterly - Panama’s Protests Test President Mulino on Multiple Fronts
TPTM - It’s not the economy, stupid - More on Panama’s protests
Americas Quarterly - Flows of Guns and Money Are Dooming Haiti
Guardian - Latin American leaders spend millions to influence Trump’s White House
Foreign Policy - Trump’s Aid Freeze Is Undermining His Immigration Policy
ProPublica - The Trump Administration Leaned on African Countries. The Goal: Get Business for Elon Musk. - Interested to see if there are similar cases in the hemisphere
Upcoming events
19 May, AS/COA - An Evening with Jon Lee Anderson of The New Yorker
19 May, Inter-American Dialogue - Views on the China-CELAC Forum
20 May, WOLA - A Conversation with the 2024 Colombia National Human Rights Award Winners
28 May, CSIS - Exploring Guatemala as a Regional Production Hub
Thanks for reading
Have a great weekend!
