Tillerson Starts Off Latin America Tour in Mexico

Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. February 1, 2018 Daily News Brief   TOP OF THE AGENDA Tillerson Starts Off Latin America Tour in Mexico U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson begins a six-day Latin America trip today that is expected to focus on the political and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. Tillerson will first visit Mexico, followed by stops in Argentina, Colombia, Peru, and Jamaica. The top U.S. diplomat will meet with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on Thursday amid strained relations between the neighbors (VOA) over the U.S. administration's crackdown on immigration. The United States, Canada, and Mexico wrapped up a sixth round of talks to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) earlier this week. U.S. officials have proposed substantial changes (NYT) to the trade deal, while Mexico, the United States' third-largest trading partner, is seeking to preserve the decades-old agreement (WaPo). ANALYSIS "The first year of the Trump administration has brought little clarity to the most contentious issues in the bilateral relationship. Several of Trump's key campaign promises still hang over Mexico like a dangling sword—to revise or potentially cancel NAFTA, to build a new border wall, to deport large numbers of unauthorized immigrants," Joshua Partlow writes for the Washington Post. "President Donald Trump's threats to withdraw from NAFTA, build a wall, and kick out the Dreamers may cast a decisive shadow over Mexico's upcoming presidential election," CFR's Shannon O'Neil writes for Bloomberg. "The overwhelming sense is that the Americas at present are experiencing a geopolitical lull—free from major battles for regional influence, perhaps, but also devoid of any vision grand enough to unite all or significant part of the Americas," Michael J. Camilleri and Ben Raderstorf write for Americas Quarterly. PACIFIC RIM Petrol Bomb Lobbed at Myanmar Leader's Home A rudimentary bomb was thrown at the house of State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi on Thursday morning; no one was injured (AP). Separately, an investigation by the Associated Press in Rakhine State uncovered five previously unreported mass graves (AP). The government has acknowledged one of the graves, alleging the dead were terrorists. THAILAND: The United Kingdom is selling its Bangkok embassy (FT) to a Thai family-owned real estate group for approximately $597 million, the country's largest-ever land deal. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA India Moves Toward Universal Health Care The finance minister has unveiled a massive government-funded health-care scheme that is expected to cover one hundred million poor families (BBC) for medical costs of up to $7,825 annually. He also announced the creation of thousands of health centers that will provide free drugs and diagnostic services (Hindu). AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN: A White House statement said the Trump administration has given U.S. military commanders the necessary "authority and resources" to deny terrorists safe haven (Dawn) in Pakistan and Afghanistan.  MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Egypt's Sisi Issues Warning Ahead of Election President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has issued what appeared to be a warning to opposition activists (Reuters) who have called for a boycott of an upcoming presidential election. Sisi, who is running for reelection, said the government will take action against anyone who attempts to interfere with the country's security. ISRAEL: The UN human rights office said it is examining more than two hundred companies, mostly American and Israeli, that do business with Israeli settlements in the West Bank (NYT). Nikki Haley, the U.S. envoy to the United Nations, accused the international body of "anti-Israel obsession." SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Kenyan Court Orders TV News Shutdown Lifted Kenya's top court has suspended a government blackout (BBC) of three of the country's largest private TV news networks, which were taken off the air when opposition leader Raila Odinga held what he called an alternative presidential inauguration on Tuesday in protest of President Uhuru Kenyatta's reelection in October. CFR's John Campbell discusses the Kenyatta government's response to Odinga's swearing-in ceremony. ERITREA: President Isaias Afwerki has criticized a plan by Israel to deport tens of thousands of African migrants (AP), saying they deserve to be paid more than the $3,500 Israel is offering them if they leave by the end of March. EUROPE Poland Passes Holocaust Speech Bill The Polish senate has passed a bill that calls for up to three years in prison for anyone who attributes the crimes of Nazi Germany (Guardian) to the state or Polish individuals. Israel and the United States have condemned the legislation, which is expected to be approved by the president. TURKEY: A Turkish court has ordered the release of the head of the human rights advocacy group Amnesty International in the country, who was detained last June for alleged membership in a terrorist group (BBC). In Foreign Affairs, Nate Schenkkan discusses the remarkable extent of Turkey's purge of government opponents. AMERICAS Mexico Oil Auction Brings in $93 Billion Mexico has secured $93 billion in investment for the development of deepwater oil blocks in the Gulf of Mexico (FT). Royal Dutch Shell won nine of the nineteen contracts awarded. UNITED STATES U.S. Extends TPS for Syrians The Department of Homeland Security has extended temporary protection (Reuters) for some seven thousand Syrians who have lived in the United States since 2016 or earlier, allowing them to stay at least another eighteen months. This CFR article lays out the countries designated for temporary protected status (TPS). The chiefs of Russia's three main intelligence agencies traveled to Washington in recent days (RFE/RL). Russia's ambassador to the United States said that one of the officials was in the capital to discuss counterterrorism with U.S. authorities.         Council on Foreign Relations — 58 East 68th Street — New York, NY 10065 CFR does not share email addresses with third parties. 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From: dailybrief@e.cfr.org

Date: February 01, 2018 at 11:03PM