Daily Brief: Protests in Peru Over Ex-Leader's Pardon
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. December 26, 2017 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Protests in Peru Over Ex-Leader's Pardon Protests continued into Monday night as Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski defended his decision to grant a medical pardon (WSJ) to former President Alberto Fujimori, who was halfway through a twenty-five year prison sentence for corruption and human rights violations. Kuczynski, who announced the pardon on Sunday, said he could not allow Fujimori to "die in prison" (BBC) and urged protestors to accept the decision (Reuters). Kuczynski's political opponents have denounced the move as part of a political deal. Fujimori's son, a lawmaker, withdrew his support for a parliamentary bid to impeach Kuczynski (DW) late last week. ANALYSIS "Even from prison, Mr. Fujimori has exerted influence on politics, and his supporters, so-called Fujimoristas, dominate the legislature," Andrea Zarate writes for the New York Times. "Mr. Fujimori, the son of Japanese immigrants who took office in 1990 after a career in academia, remains a polarizing figure in the Andean nation over seventeen years after his corruption-ridden administration collapsed," Ryan Dube writes for the Wall Street Journal. "[Kuczynski] has long intimated that he would pardon Fujimori. But to do it in this way—after just barely surviving impeachment, on Christmas Eve—is an incredible show of disrespect to the victims of Fujimorismo," Jo-Marie Burt said in an interview with the Guardian. Ten Silver Linings in 2017 CFR editors cite ten areas where progress was made this year, from reducing child mortality and poverty to improving women's rights. PACIFIC RIM China, Russia Call for Peaceful Resolution in North Korea China's foreign ministry called for restraint on the Korean Peninsula while Russia said it hopes the United States does not plan to take military action (VOA) to resolve a standoff there. On Friday, the United Nations passed a resolution ordering all North Koreans working in member states to be sent home within two years to cut off revenue sources for Pyongyang. This CFR Backgrounder looks at North Korea's military capabilities. PHILIPPINES: Paolo Duterte, son of President Rodrigo Duterte, quit his post as vice mayor for the city of Davao on Monday after his daughter wrote a social media post in which she appeared to accuse him of beating her (NYT). SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Islamic State Claims Kabul Attack A suicide bomber targeting the Afghan intelligence agency (Guardian) killed six civilians an an attack on Monday, according to the Interior Ministry. The self-proclaimed Islamic State said it was behind the attack. PAKISTAN: The mother and wife of an Indian naval officer who faces a death sentence (Dawn) for alleged spying in Pakistan were allowed to visit him on Monday. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Second Nation to Move Embassy in Israel Guatemala announced it will follow the United States' lead (NYT) and move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Israel's deputy foreign minister said that more than ten countries are in talks to move their embassies to the city (Haaretz), though she did not name them. CFR's Robert M. Danin discusses President Trump's Jerusalem move in the Octavian Report. YEMEN: At least seventy-one civilians were killed over two days of air strikes (Al Jazeera) carried out by the Saudi-led coalition seeking to restore Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour al-Hadi to power, according to local reports. CFR's Michael P. Dempsey writes that no one can win the war in Yemen (CNN). SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Liberians Vote in Delayed Runoff A presidential runoff originally scheduled for November 7 was delayed seven weeks after candidate Vice President Joseph Boakai filed charges of fraud and incompetence (DW) by electoral authorities. Bokai faces George Weah, a former soccer star, in the Tuesday runoff. SOMALIA: The country's soccer federation said it will begin hosting international matches in 2018 (VOA) in light of improving security there. Somalia last hosted an international match in 1988. EUROPE Putin Opponent Banned From Election Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny has been formally barred from participating in a presidential election next year (BBC) due to a corruption conviction Navalny says is politically motivated. Navalny called for a boycott (DW) of the vote. TURKEY: Some 2,750 public employees were dismissed from their positions (VOA) on Sunday over accusations of ties to terrorist groups. Ankara also ordered the shutdown of seventeen institutions, including two newspapers. AMERICAS Canada to Expel Top Venezuelan Diplomat In a tit for tat over the weekend, Canada said it will expel Venezuela's ambassador to the country (Globe & Mail) and another senior diplomat after the South American country declared top Canadian and Brazilian diplomats unwelcome there. UNITED STATES UN to See $285 Million Budget Cut, U.S. Says The U.S. Mission to the United Nations said on Sunday it has negotiated a $285 million cut (AP) to the UN budget. U.S. envoy Nikki Haley said she will not allow the international body to take advantage of "the generosity of the American people." A 1970s trade program that grants more than a hundred developing nations tariff-free access to the United States for some 3,500 products is set to expire at the end of this year (FT). Congress failed to agree last week on legislation to renew the program. 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From: dailybrief@e.cfr.org
Date: December 26, 2017 at 10:48PM
