The Latin American Report # 615

A second instance court in Colombia reversed the 12-year sentence imposed at the beginning of August against former president Álvaro Uribe Vélez for witness tampering and bribery. Specifically, two of the three judges on the panel understood that the previous decision of Judge Sandra Heredia, appealed by Uribe, suffered from "structural deficiencies," relying on vague premises and without a "comprehensive analysis".

In Uribe's case, from what I know, there was no smoking gun evidence, but, broadening the analysis to other contexts, and by my judgment, neither was there in the case that resulted in the conviction—already very firm—of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner in Argentina. Nevertheless, it seems clear to me that one of the two judicial instances that has already handled the case in Colombia—prosecutors can now appeal to the Supreme Court—viewed it through an ideological lens.

_{Former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe Vélez (source of the image).}

Bolivia

This is a critical AP article covering the first statements and commitments of Bolivian President-elect Rodrigo Paz. In them, the 180-degree shift in foreign policy is made clear, moving away from Cuba and Venezuela—I have not confirmed it, but I read somewhere that he will not invite Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel to his inauguration—, and instead prioritizing the reestablishment of ties with the United States.

This decision already sends good signals for him, as it seems that—in yet another confirmation of how the right is well coordinated to help those in troubles—there would be a concerted effort with the Trump administration to guarantee the entry of fuel into the country, so that Paz has room to maneuver once he is installed in the Great House of the People. "The process is underway. We are coordinating in the best way possible so that the much-needed fuel - gasoline and diesel - can arrive, and from that, we can bring calm to the population," Paz said today in La Paz.

_{Bolivian President-elect Rodrigo Paz (source of the image).}

The tense Caribbean

This is a really good account by AP about the U.S. military deployment in the Caribbean, which was widely discussed last weekend for events linked not to Venezuela this time but to Colombia and Ecuador.

Trump and Argentine beef

A sound insight on the matter, a #MustR 👇

The immigration issue

Allegedly going after Tren de Aragua in Chicago 👇

Censorship never more please

Will Cuban authorities ever learn to deal with certainly complex issues like the one covered in this article without resorting to censorship?

This is all for today’s report.