All blogs tagged with Central America


Democracy Under Siege in Central America

Luis A. Rivas ˙ ˙ Migration, Remittances & Development

Photo of protesters in Nicaragua during the 2018 protests Jorge Mejía Peralta / Flickr / CC BY 2.0 DEED
Democracy is under threat in Central America and authoritarianism is on the rise. This problem is having long-term institutional and economic implications for these countries and poses serious challenges for US policy towards the region. Uncheckered political ambitions and abuses of authority in the form of corruption or political and economic favoritism are signs of severe democratic backsliding. Nicaragua is an illustration of the consequences of unconstrained power. But the growing corruption and political ambitions of other Central American leaders could further affect democratic institutions in the region. It is important not only to bear witness but to mobilize proactive foreign policy to prevent authoritarianism from rising.Read more +

An Unprecedented Migration Crisis: Characterizing and Analyzing its Depth

Manuel Orozco, Patrick Springer ˙ ˙ Voces

Photo of migrants in Panama Servicio Nacional de Migración de Panamá / Twitter
This piece offers a look at the current migration trends and points to large differences that characterize this situation as a crisis: the scale, composition, nature, and management of migration is outside conventional or historical patterns. Aspects of this unprecedented migration pattern are not within the control of government authorities and policy makers. The recent migration wave to the US border has been referred to as a crisis. Media references point to the drama of people arriving and passing through the Darien, Central America, and Mexico to characterize the problem. Others have pointed out the increasing arrivals into US cities in numbers that are hard to manage by local communities.Read more +

The Biden Administration has pledged significant aid to Central America. But where should it go and how should it get there?

Rachel Schwartz ˙ ˙ Voces

Floods El Salvador GWP / Flickr / CC BY-NC 2.0
Given its commitment to reviving multilateralism and bringing together diverse stakeholders, the Biden administration is well-positioned to use these instruments to implement its more holistic regional agenda. After decades of privileging police and military assistance and waiting for government uptake of institutional strengthening efforts, it is time to look beyond Central American states and reinvest in civil society-based anti-corruption coalitions that can be the engines of political and economic change.Read more +

Returning Home: Deportations & Return Migration

Manuel Orozco, Julia Yansura ˙ ˙ Voces

10/20/08 FOR MHL BY CARL JUSTE/MIAMI HERALD STAFF, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - - ICE's Removal Management Division transported 100 Honduran nationals (16 females, 94 males) aboard a 727 for a two hour and forty-eight minutes flight back to Tegucigalpa, Honduras as part of its detention removal operation. The agency stages nine to eleven flights per day and is coordinated by its operation center in Kansas City, MO. CARL JUSTE/MIAMI HERALD STAFF10/20/08 FOR MHL BY CARL JUSTE/MIAMI HERALD STAFF, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - - ICE's Removal Management Division transported 100 Honduran nationals (16 females, 94 males) aboard a 727 for a two hour and forty-eight minutes flight back to Tegucigalpa, Honduras as part of its detention removal operation. The agency stages nine to eleven flights per day and is coordinated by its operation center in Kansas City, MO. In a early morning operation, Honduran nationals are moved off of detention center buses and searched prior to boarding a chartered flight for Tegucigalpa, Honduras. ICE takes custody of the migrants by conducting searches of their person and belongings during the transferring custody operation on the tarmac of San Antonio International Airport. CARL JUSTE/MIAMI HERALD STAFF10/20/08 FOR MHL BY CARL JUSTE/MIAMI HERALD STAFF, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - - ICE's Removal Management Division transported 100 Honduran nationals (16 females, 94 males) aboard a 727 for a two hour and forty-eight minutes flight back to Tegucigalpa, Honduras as part of its detention removal operation. The agency stages nine to eleven flights per day and is coordinated by its operation center in Kansas City, MO. In a early morning operation, Honduran nationals are moved off of detention center buses and searched prior to boarding a chartered flight for Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The undocumented Hondurans fill the seats of a Boeing 727. Many try to come to terms of being returned back to Honduras. CARL JUSTE/MIAMI HERALD STAFF
While the number of people leaving Central America is well documented, less is known on how many return home, either voluntarily or involuntarily.Read more +

Load More