Bulletin From The Borderlands Weekly Round Up
Bulletin From The Borderlands Weekly Round Up
The Americas
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Regional Wrap-Up: Americas
Desk Chief - Brodie Kirkpatrick
Regional Flashpoints
Haitian PM Ariel Henry traveled to Kenya to secure a deal that will see the deployment of a Kenyan-led multinational peacekeeping force to his country. The force will include 1,000 Kenyan police officers, hundreds of security personnel from other African & Caribbean nations, and potentially up to 2,000 soldiers from Benin.
In Haiti, a coalition of gangs led by G9 Family and Allies leader Jimmy “Barbeque” Cherizier launched a campaign to oust acting PM Ariel Henry from power. Gangs targeted police stations, the international airport, and led a prison break of 4,000 inmates in Port-au-Prince. Multiple police officers and civilians have been killed.
A likely Jalisco New Generation Cartel IED killed four Mexican soldiers near Aguililla, Michoacan. This is the deadliest of such incidents in Mexico and highlights the growing trend of Mexican cartels using a variety of IEDs and other explosives against Mexican security forces. Of the over 2,000 landmines and IEDs found in Mexico from August 2021 to July 2023, 37% were found in Michoacan, per Borderland Beat.
Amid a recruiting and manpower crisis, the U.S. Army will be cutting 24,000 positions, or 5% of the force. The branch is already at its smallest size since 1940. The cuts include 10,000 from cavalry squadrons, Stryker brigade combat teams (BCTs), infantry BCTs, and security force assistance brigades; as well as 3,000 from special operations units.
Notable Regional Updates
Former career U.S. diplomat Manuel Rocha told a judge that he will plead guilty to spying for Cuban intelligence for 40 years. Rocha was arrested last year after disclosing to an undercover agent that he spent decades spying for Cuba and was still loyal to the country. He served in multiple posts with the State Dept. and National Security Council, including as the Ambassador to Bolivia.
Two mayoral candidates for the Mexican city of Maravatio, Michaocan were assassinated within hours of each other. Armando Perez of the conservative PAN was shot dead while in his car before midnight. Miguel Angel Zavala of the left-wing MORENA was also shot dead while in his car later that day.
After receiving an emergency request from the Biden Administration, the U.S. Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a Texas law that will allow local and state law enforcement officers to arrest migrants for illegally crossing the southern border. This came hours after a federal appeals court allowed it to go into effect.
In a unanimous decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that states are not allowed to remove former Pres. Donald Trump from their ballots. The court declared that only Congress can enforce Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, not states, when it comes to federal office. That section bans those who have engaged in insurrection against the United States from holding elected office.
U.S. State Dept. has issued a travel warning for Americans traveling to Mexico for spring break. Locations highlighted include Tulum, Playa del Carmen, and Cancun. Hazards highlighted include drug use/possession, violent crime, sexual assault, and tainted alcohol
The Smokehouse Creek Fire has become the largest wildfire in Texas history, burning over 1.1 million acres. The fire temporarily forced the closure of the Pantex U.S. nuclear weapons assembly plant, which is operating normally now. Two people have died as a result of the fire and the blaze has spread to Oklahoma.
Looking Forward/Implications
The gang offensive in Haiti is heavily motivated by the upcoming deployment of the multinational force to the country. “Barbeque” in particular has spent much time threatening PM Henry for his willingness to allow foreign troops to combat criminal groups. Haiti’s 9,000-man police force was already struggling at maintaining order in the country of 11 million people. The beginning of this united gang campaign has only made it more difficult to hold out before foreign forces arrive to help. Gangs are estimated to control 80% of Port-au-Prince.
The IED attack in Michoacan is evidence of a growing trend in Mexico. Drug cartels are adapting the tactics they use to combat government security forces. Another tactic that has been used is the dropping of munitions from commercially available drones; a tactic that has been used in places such as Syria, Gaza, and Ukraine.
The assassinations in Maravatio highlight the level of political violence in Mexico, which reached its peak in 2023. According to watchdog Civic Data, political violence is expected to be even worse in 2024
The current recruiting and manpower crisis is affecting the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Each branch is taking different approaches to alleviate the crisis. The Navy is allowing recruits to join without having a high school diploma or GED equivalent. The Air Force is trying to persuade retirees to put their uniforms back on.
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