Silvina Batakis, Argentina’s brand-new Minister of the Economy, is set to be replaced with Sergio Massa after less than a month in the position, reports Clarín. Massa, currently the head of Congress’ lower house, revealed on Twitter that he “had not received an official offer” and mentioned “lots of rumors,” though he did not outright deny the alleged changes in the Cabinet. Any announcement, he wrote, would be “made through official channels.” According to Reuters, the announcement is expected to be made upon Batakis’ return from Washington, DC, where she met with officials from the IMF, World Bank, US Treasury Department, Wall Street investors, and others. It is unclear what role, if any, Batakis will continue to play in the Ministry, says Perfíl.

As the country prepares for its third Economy Minister in one month, this abrupt shift casts additional uncertainty over what economic policies may be enacted and what internal political disagreements may be at play as the country struggles to avoid another default. However, Cronista reports that following the revelation of the supposed Cabinet change, the country’s public debt bonds rose by 7% and stocks by 5.3%. The country’s risk rating fell below 2,700 points as well, indicating initial market approval of Massa at the helm of the Ministry. 

Amidst the internal shake-up, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved a $200 million credit for Argentina as part of a $1.14 billion credit line for energy investment projects, says Infobae.

Brazil

• Deforestation and other environmentally damaging activities have little to no political implications in Brazil, where “those accused of wrongdoing by federal environmental law enforcement have pumped tens of millions of dollars into political campaigns in the past two decades and won public office more than 1,900 times,” reports the Washington Post. 
  
  
• A statue commemorating Marielle Franco, an Afro-Brazilian Rio councilwoman assassinated in 2018, was erected in downtown Rio yesterday, reports Globo. The planners of her assassination have still not been identified.  

Caribbean

• International financial institutions do not take into account the costs of climate change and its unexpected damages when considering national wealth, placing countries at a significant disadvantage when seeking international investment. The Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, is pushing to change international perspectives on the effects of climate change. (New York Times)
  
  
• Global Americans recently released a report addressing the impact of environmental crimes – illicit economic activities linked to the environment – on the Caribbean. 

Colombia

• Paramilitary groups are behind the killings of at least 36 police officers this year, notes Colombia Reports.

Guyana

• The Migration Information Source outlines the potential for mass internal displacement in Guyana due to the combination of the impacts of climate change and exploration of new oil deposits. 

Haiti

• In their recent Q&A, Crisis Group explains the significant ties between Haiti’s long standing political unrest and the increase in gang activity and violence. 

Honduras

• Herlinda Bobadilla, alleged leader of the Los Montes drug cartel, was extradited to the US following her capture in May, reports France 24. Los Montes plays a major role in cocaine trafficking and distribution in the United States.

Mexico

• Americans are flocking to Mexico in record numbers, causing “locals [to] consider what gentrification means for the city’s economics, culture and even race relations,” writes Kate Linthicum for the LA Times.

Migration

• R4V, a regional inter-agency coordination platform aimed at coordinating regional response to Venezuelan migrants, published a legal guide for Venezuelans to learn their rights and resources under Colombia’s “Temporary Protection Status.”

Panama

• A blockade of major roads ended on Tuesday after three weeks of protests against the high costs of food and gasoline, reports France 24.

Regional

• “The global drug prohibition regime and the 50-year-long U.S.-led ‘war on drugs’ has not only had disastrous results across the world but are increasingly exacerbating other serious problems,” writes John Walsh at WOLA.

Uruguay

• Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou announced yesterday that Uruguay will seek to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), building upon efforts of the previous administration to join the trade alliance, reports MercoPress.

Arianna Kohan y Jordi Amaral / Latin America Daily Briefing
http://latinamericadailybriefing.blogspot