Latin America Advisor 2024-01-30 – Inter-American Dialogue

LATIN AMERICA ADVISOR

A daily publication Of the dialogue

December 12, 9916

What Will Become of Mexico’s Search for the Missing?

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s government plans to close the country’s agency that searches for missing people. // File Photo: Mexican Government.

Q

Between December and January, 60 percent of the personnel employed at Mexico’s National Center for Human Identification (CNIH)—where forensic testing has been conducted to identify disappeared individuals—were dismissed, with its headquarters scheduled to close the first week of February, Milenio newspaper reported on Jan. 16. What are the government’s reasons for closing the agency? Is there another institution that will replace it? To what extent has the Mexican government been successful in searching for victims of forced disappearances, and how will this development affect those efforts?

A

Omar García-Ponce, assistant professor of political science at The George Washington University: “Mexico’s National Center for Human Identification (CNIH) was established less than two years ago. It was designed as an autonomous agency focused on the forensic identification of disappeared individuals in the country. The CNIH has been understaffed and underfunded since its creation, hindering its ability to tackle a nationwide forensic crisis. The recent dismissal of over 60 percent of its staff—who had just begun to yield results in identifying bodies—and the potential closure of the agency without a clear replacement, raises serious concerns about the future of forensic efforts to address the issue of forced disappearances in the country, particularly in light of the massive backlog in the identification of missing persons. With more than 100,000 people listed in…”

Top News

U.S. Reimposes Some Sanctions on Venezuela

The U.S. Treasury on Monday reimposed sanctions on Venezuela’s state mining company, a move that followed the Venezuelan supreme court’s upholding of a ban on opposition candidate María Corina Machado holding office.

Brazil’s Imports of Russian Diesel Soar 4,600%

Brazil’s imports of Russian diesel skyrocketed 4,600 percent last year, and its imports of Russian fuel oil soared 400 percent. The imports provided $8.6 billion to the Russian economy.

Colombian Gov’t, ELN Rebels Extend Cease-Fire

The government of Colombian President Gustavo Petro and the National Liberation Army, or ELN, rebels on Monday agreed to extend their cease-fire for one week. // File Photo: Colombian Government.

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ABOUT THE LATIN AMERICA ADVISOR

The Inter-American Dialogue publishes the Latin America Advisor every business day for a distinguished membership of informed corporate leaders, scholars, and government officials invested in Latin America’s development and future. The Advisor‘s highly regarded Q&A section covers questions submitted by subscribers themselves. Commentators regularly include heads of state, business leaders, diplomats, economists, analysts, and thought leaders from around the world. Many of the world’s largest and fastest-growing companies subscribe to the Advisor. To subscribe, click here. For terms and conditions, click here. For more information, contact Gene Kuleta, editor of the Advisor, at gkuleta@thedialogue.org.

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Staff

Gene Kuleta
Editor
P. 202.463.2920
E. gkuleta@thedialogue.org

Carl David
Goette-Luciak
Reporter

Nili Blanck
Reporter

board of advisors

Diego Arria
Director,
Columbus Group

Merike Blofield
Professor of Political Science,
University of Hamburg

Devry Boughner Vorwerk
CEO,
DevryBV Sustainable Strategies

Joyce Chang
Global Head of Research,
J.P. Morgan

Marlene Fernández
Corporate Vice President for Gov’t Relations,
Arcos Dorados (McDonald’s)

Peter Hakim
President Emeritus,
Inter-American Dialogue

Donna Hrinak
Director,
Adtalem Global Education

Jon E. Huenemann
Council Member,
GLG Inc.

James R. Jones
Chairman,
Monarch Global Strategies

Craig Kelly
Senior Director,
Int’l Gov’t Relations,
Exxon Mobil

Barbara Kotschwar
Professor of Political Economy,
Georgetown University

John Maisto
Director,
US Education Finance Group

Nicolas Mariscal
Chairman,
Grupo Marhnos

Thomas F. McLarty III
Chairman,
McLarty Associates

Beatrice Rangel
Director,
AMLA Consulting

Ernesto Revilla
Head of Latin American Economics, Citi

Gustavo Roosen
President,
IESA

Andrés Rozental
President, Rozental &
Asociados

Shelly Shetty
Managing Director,
Sovereigns, Fitch

Launch of the Regional Repository of Chinese Investments in Latin America

asia & Latin America

education

energy transition & Climate

Migration, Remittances & Development

peter d. bell rule of law

cities

Women & Girls