#160: '200 Years of Independence' amidst Bitcoin and ZEDES

Sep 20, 2021

Dear Readers,

From the first "cry of independence" in Mexico in 1821 to 2021, a fragmented Central America is still fighting for itself. Indigenous peoples in Guatemala and El Salvador rejected the Bicentennial celebrations, as the original independence movements were powered by mestizos (mixed Spanish and Indigenous) and criollos (direct Spanish descendants) in the region, reproducing dynamics of economic and political power over natives long after the independence, not to mention anti-Black racist laws which pervaded until late in the 20th century.

In 2021, September 15 was punctuated by protests against anti-free trade zones in Honduras and anti-Bitcoin in El Salvador (among other grievances). Indigenous peoples in Guatemala continue to demand a re-imagined state that represents them, which would be plurinational instead of mestizo-led. Moving away from the economic and political vision implemented in 1821, in sum.

From a diasporic perspective, Sussan García explains how she learned about the parallels between July 4 and September 15 and why she stopped celebrating both. You can find her story and more good reads below.

Happy newsletter reading!

Salú,

Melissa

Thousands of Salvadorans demonstrated against Bukele's presidential mandate and the laws recently approved by the Legislative Assembly controlled by him, such as the Bitcoin Law or the one that purges 30% of the country's judges. Photo by Carlos Barrera/El Faro.

Headlines

Migration

📰 Climate Refugee Crisis: A report by the World Bank predicts the migration of 216 million people by 2050, of which 17 million from Latin America, as a result of escalating climate crisis.

📰 CAM Program: The Biden administration will begin receiving new petitions for the Central American Minors (CAM) Program providing a legal pathway for Central American children to reunite with U.S.-based parents.

📰 Title 42: The Biden administration is appealing a federal judge’s ruling that terminated a Trump-era policy that expelled migrants under the pretense of COVID-19 concerns.

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Belize

📰 Celebrating Independence: The Embassy of Belize in Taiwan held a virtual event to celebrate 40 years of independence, with the Belizean ambassador taking the opportunity to additionally celebrate continued ties with Taiwan.

📰 COVID-19: A door-to-door vaccination campaign is set to launch. // An anti-vaccination rally was planned to be held, despite the Police Commissioner warning of its illegality. // LoveFM interviewed some young people on how they are feeling about the pandemic.

📰 Politics: United Democratic Party leader Patrick Faber is likely to retake his Opposition leadership from Shyne Barrow through obtaining sufficient support from the House of Representatives.

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Costa Rica

📰 Presidential Trip: President Carlos Alvarado is currently on his first trip outside the country during the pandemic to attend a summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in Mexico City, as well as this year’s U.N. summit in NYC. At the CELAC summit, he addressed climate change, vaccinations and economic recovery in the region.

📰 COVID-19: The Ministry of Health did not announce further containment measures even after a report from the University of Costa Rica and the Development Observatory about a spike in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks. On Friday, more than 2,800 new cases were reported with 9% of new cases in the capital San José.

📰 High Drug Prices: Costa Rica reportedly has the highest prices for prescription drugs in the region and legislators are debating three different bills that vary on regulating prices and the pharmaceutical industry itself. Prescription drugs can be 30% to 50% more expensive than in other countries in the region.

📰 Trolling Vetoed: Local fishermen in Guanacaste and Puntarenas are celebrating a veto by legislative deputies of a law that would have allowed trolling -- or mass fishing with large nets -- in the country’s biodiverse coastal waters.

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El Salvador

📰 Protests: In relation to El Salvador’s bicentennial, between 7,000 and 15,000 Salvadorans protested against President Nayib Bukele for the implementation of Bitcoin and the recent decree retiring judges over 60 years old. One moment from the protest that went viral online, was that of a Chivo kiosk being set on fire. Bukele accused the international community of financing the opposition.

📰 Corruption: A criminal investigation found evidence that the Vice Minister of Justice and Bureau of Prisons director, Osiris Luna, embezzled $1.6 million worth of food in 2020 from the Public Health Emergency Program (PES).

📰 COVID-19: Children ages 6-11 are now allowed to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. However, the Pediatric Association of El Salvador has warned against this decision since there is not sufficient data to support it.

📰 Constitutional Changes: Vice President Felix Ulloa presented the final draft of constitutional changes to President Nayib Bukele this past Thursday. Human rights organizations denounced the changes and criticized the president for ignoring the requests of feminist, pro-abortion and LGBTI + rights advocates.

📰 Diaspora: On Sept. 14, the Legislative Assembly approved a new law that allows Salvadorans in the diaspora to vote and run for positions in the 2024 election.

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Guatemala

📰 Bicentennial: September 15 marked 200 years since Guatemala gained independence, however, Indigenous communities are still fighting for their rights. The Peasant Development Committee (CODECA) spoke out against the bicentennial-related activities and expressed the urgency of building a Plurinational State to include all communities.

📰 COVID-19: The Ministry of Public Health reported almost 13,000 COVID-19 deaths as of this Saturday. // Guatemalan Health Minister Amelia Flores officially resigned after President Giammattei announced changes in his cabinet.

📰 #JusticiaParaAngieYBlanca: Women's organizations stood in solidarity and complete silence in front of the Public Ministry to condemn the silence that the authorities have had regarding the investigation into these two femicides.

📰 National Emergency Law: 234 people were detained by the National Civil Police for violating COVID-19 measures over the weekend. The National Emergency Law has been approved by Congress, but has not been entered into effect yet by President Giammattei.

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Honduras

📰 Politics: Two of the three counselors for the National Electoral Council (CNE) blocked the appointment of Jesus Mejia, National Party leader and former general manager of the National Electric Company, to become executive adviser to the CNE.

📰 Military Operations: Twelve Miskitu people were injured, after an aerial attack was launched by the Military allegedly against a raft carrying drug-traffickers.

📰 Justice: The Sentencing Court acquitted activists and community leaders Edwin Espinal and Raúl Valladares, two political prisoners, of all crimes. They had spent 19 months in prison in maximum security prisons.

📰 COVID-19: Vaccination for 15-17 year olds has begun in Honduras. Authorities hope adolescents can begin in-person classes.

📰 ZEDES: On Bicentennial Day, organized sectors of society went to the streets of the main cities of Honduras. Their main demand is to repeal the law allowing the Employment and Economic Development Zones, ZEDEs, considered the main threat to national sovereignty.

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Nicaragua

📰 COVID-19: Increase in COVID-19 infections increase the demand for oxygen tanks, which are becoming scarce. // Government authorizes vaccination for citizens over 30 years of age. PAHO reports vaccination is still under 10% of the population.

📰 Human Rights: Human Rights Watch reports a pattern of fabrication of evidence against political opponents.

📰 Diplomacy: Nicaragua criticized Argentina during the VI Summit of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), accusing it of serving "imperialist" interests. Argentina replied that thanks to their management and that of Mexico, they prevented Nicaragua from being suspended from the Organization of American States.

📰 Elections: 50 countries signed a declaration questioning the legitimacy of the November 7 elections in Nicaragua.

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Panama

📰 Migration: The National Migration Services emphasized in a report that the Inter-American Court of Human Rights must provide sufficient food to migrants in the province of Darién. However, with the increase of migratory flows, both agencies have modified the contract that allows for approximately 2,000 people who pass through the Migratory Reception Station each day to receive daily nutrition, medical care, and security while in Panamanian territory.

📰 National: The president of Panama, Larentino Cortizo, will travel to New York this week to meet with executives of the World Bank and other companies to discuss investment strategies that will create jobs and contribute to the progression of the country’s economy.

📰 Economy: Panama has exported approximately 13 million boxes of bananas this year. The increase in production also generates around 8,000 direct jobs and 25,000 indirect ones, which contributes more than 200 million dollars for the country each year.

Edwin Espinal

Learn more about Edwin Espinal, a community leader who was imprisoned for 19 months during the 2017 electoral fraud crisis and now absolved, in this Q&A. "[He] has faced everything - almost everything - that a person born and living in Honduras can face." (ContraCorriente)

Good Reads

📌Bicentennial: A critique of the Central American Bicentennial by Central American Disruption’s Founder Sussan García (Central American Disruption)

📌 "Bicentenario de Mierda": A two-part series of op-eds by Sandra Xinico Batz criticizing the Guatemalan independence day. "We are seeing, living the colonial state in its splendor." (La Hora Part 1, Part 2)

📌El Mozote Massacre: Survivors and Families of Victims of a 1981 El Salvador Massacre See Justice Slip Away Again. (ProPublica)

📌 Climate Refugees: Todd Miller expresses that the global response to increasing migration deterrence through walls and detention centers does not address the root of the refugee crisis: climate change. (Independent)

📌Panama's History: The Ernesto J. Castillero National Library now located in Omar Park, Panama City was established in July 1942 to deposit bibliographic information and documentation of Panamanian heritage. Learn more about this national treasure. (TVN Noticias)

Central American Studies

🎓 Teaching Central America is encouraging teachers to participate in Teach Central America Week on October 4-10, 2021 with the support of lesson plans and resources.

🎓 Jorge Cuellar examines the implications and consequences of Salvadoran president Nayib Bukele’s transition to a Bitcoin and cryptocurrency economy. (in New Left Review)

How Did "Grills" Come About in Guatemala?

A Guatemalan photographer has a hypothesis. (Vice)

Multimedia

🎥 Poet Yesika Salgado discusses the role that her homes, El Salvador and Los Angeles, have in her poetry and sense of self as a Salvadoran (in Radar).

🎙️ Radio Cachimbona interviews Salvadoran American journalist Daniel Alvarenga about the context surrounding the implementation of Bitcoin in El Salvador.

🖋️ Film Chisme reviews the short film “Superestar” by Salvadoran American director Daniel Larios.

"Nothing to celebrate"

Indigenous peoples in El Salvador protested the Bicentennial celebrations.

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