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 2009-03-30 In this issue of Southern Pulse: Individual monetary remittances to Latin America totalted nearly US$70BN IN 2008...
Region According to the Inter American Development Bank, individual monetary remittances to Latin America totaled nearly US$70 billion in 2008. For some countries in the region, remittances amounted to 20% of GDP in 2008. Mexico received US$25 billion, Brazil US$7.2 billion, Colombia US$4.8 billion, Guatemala US$4.3 billion, El Salvador US$3.8 billion, Honduras US$2.7 billion. China
Along with Brazil, Russia, and India, China sent its financial minister and central bank leaders to London on 13 March, ahead of the G-20 meeting to discuss IMF reform, as well as Brazil's suggestion for heightened regulation of international money flow. China
PetroChina and Venezuela's PDVSA plan to build a 400,000 barrel-a-day refinery in Guangdong province. If approved, construction will begin in 2010. Russia
According to the Russian Chief-of-Staff for long-range aviation, Maj. General Anatoly Zhikharev, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez offered in March 2009 the Russians the use of a Venezuelan island as a temporary base for Russia's strategic bombers. Russia
Five Russian companies may begin oil exploration in several Gulf of Mexico blocks owned by Cuba, according to a spokesman for Cuba's Ministry of Basic Industry. The news, which first surfaced in mid-March 2009, also includes possibilities of exploration from Chinese and Angolan companies. Russia
Chilean President Michelle Bachelet will visit Russia from 2 to 4 April 2009 to discuss trade and energy. Iran
Paraguayan Interior Minister Rafael Filizzola on 15 March 2009 told the Iranian envoy to Paraguay, Morteza Tafreshi, that Paraguay is interested in improving bilateral relations. Iran Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki will visit Brazil on 25 March 2009 to discuss improving bilateral relations and enhancing cooperation. Mottaki will be accompanied by a number of other Iranian officials, banking leaders and members of some economic institutions. Mexico
Southern Pulse sources confirmed in March 2009 that a special DEA group has been allowed into Mexico to seek contact with drug bosses to negotiate the voluntary surrender to US authorities. Some 62 DEA agents have been approved by President Calderon. They will work in Mexico without Mexican government oversight. This same strategy employed in Colombia, has since 2000 resulted in the voluntary surrender of 50 drug traffickers, financial operators, and paramilitary leaders. Mexico
Army units discovered on 13 March 2009 a narco-lab in Jalisco with the capacity of producing one ton of methamphetamine a month. This is the largest lab discovered in 2009. Mexico
According to March 2009 UN statistics, Mexico leads the world as the country with the highest number of emigrants. The UN estimates that from 2010 to 2050, some 334,000 individuals will leave Mexico each year. China ranked second, with an annual exodus of 309,000. Mexico
The army seized 8.5 tons of methamphetamines in Michoacan on 23 March 2009. Mexico
In response to a 21 March 2009 anonymous tip, Mexican soldiers discovered a marijuana storehouse located in a family home in Mexicali. Soldiers seized nearly two tons of the drug and some firearms. Mexico
Three individuals detained in a safe house in Mazatlan on 11 March 2009 were arrested with one .50 caliber Barret rifle, six long guns, 35,000 rounds of ammo, grenades, two armored vehicles, six bulletproof vests with Mexicoan Department of Justice markings. Two of the three men arrested were police officers. Mexico
The Mexican military searched three safe houses in Caborca, Sonora on 11 March, and found 18 assault rifles, some 2,400 rounds of ammunition, a grenade, a .50 caliber machine gun, a .40 mm grenade launcher, and pistols. Mexico
The Mexican military seized 34 Tovex sausage explosives, 47 meters of explosive fuse and some ten pounds of granulated explosive from a safe house in Anapra - just across the border from Sunland Park, New Mexico, on 16 March 2009. Mexico
The Mexican military seized on 18 March 2009 eight long guns (mostly assault rifles), a sub-machine gun, grenades, a rocket launcher, 5,000 rounds of ammunition and other combat equipment from a stolen truck with Texas plates, found in Matamoros. Mexico
Three men, one of them a US citizen, were arrested in Nogales, Sonora on 19 March 2009 with a .50 caliber Barret rifle with nine rounds, a telescopic sight and case. Mexico
According to a March 2009 report from Mexico's Federal Auditing Federation (like the US' GAO), only one in four people who cross Mexico's southern border are actually detained. Guatemala
According to the US Ambassador to Guatemala, Stephen McFarland, the "expansion" of Mexican drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) in Guatemala is "worrisome". He said 300 to 400 tons of cocaine pass through Guatemala annually, adding that the Central American country produces poppies for heroin. Honduras
Two DEA helicopters shot down a light aircraft carrying a load of cocaine on 9 March 2009. According to the report, one ton of cocaine was recovered from the aircraft. This initial report, however, was quickly denied by the US Ambassador to Honduras, Hugo Llorens, and the Honduran Minister of Security, Jorge Rodas. El Salvador
Salvadorian President-elect Mauricio Funes met with Brazilian President Lula on 19 March 2009. The two discussed anti-poverty programs, as Funes would like to use Brazilian programs as a model for programs he would like to implement in El Salvador. Nicaragua
A March 2009 report from Nicaragua's National Development Information Institute stated that some 40 thousand Nicaraguans leave the country annually, estimating that 62% of these individuals fall between the age of 15 and 29. Nicaragua
President Daniel Ortega has signed a decree that eliminates the need for a tourist visa to enter the country. This "category B" visa applies to citizens of 73 nations, including Russia, China, and Iran. Venezuela
President Chavez announced on 15 March 2009 the military takeover of ports and airports throughout the country. Venezuela
A new opposition group, the National Assembly in Defense of Popular Power, convened for the first time on 23 March 2009 in Caracas. Ecuador
President Rafael Correa announced on 10 March 2009 that his government would set up a bank designed only to collect and distribute remittances. Colombia
Officials from Colombia and Brazil signed a joint agreement on 10 March 2009 that allows fly-overs into sovereign space up to 30 miles on either side of the Colombian-Brazilian border. The two countries are also developing joint jungle warfare operations and the monitoring of airspace along their shared border. Peru may also enter this agreement. Argentina
On 11 March 2009, farmers renewed nationwide protests. Some 20 demonstrations took place on 12 March around the country. The possibility of a nationwide farmers' strike continues. Roadblocks began as recently as 23 March, according to Southern Pulse sources in Argentina.
Southern Pulse | Networked Intelligence © 2009
Weekly Intelligence Newsletter This newsletter was republished by ISA Consulting with permission from Southern Pulse. |
