(Kaveh Kazemi/Getty Images)

Dear John,

As you may have seen in the press, coca leaf prices have plummeted, creating a humanitarian crisis in some of the poorest, most neglected corners of Colombia. What we are not hearing about so much is how this represents a window of opportunity for the Colombian government to improve the lives of marginalized communities controlled by armed groups. 

That is why I wrote this report: Crisis and Opportunity: Unraveling Colombia’s Collapsing Coca Markets in the hope that both Colombian and U.S authorities will work together to consolidate peace in the country. 

We hope you enjoy the read. Feel free to share widely.

Also on Colombia, my colleague Gimena Sánchez Garzoli, WOLA’s Director for the Andes, will be moderating a WOLA panel on August 29 about gendered attacks on human rights leaders. Don’t miss it! 

In other news this week, anti-corruption candidate Bernardo Arévalo won the presidential elections in Guatemala. But worryingly, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal has yet to confirm the results. WOLA’s Central America Director, Ana María Méndez Dardón, has been keeping a watchful eye on the situation from Guatemala City. 

All this and more in this week's WOLA Weekly.

Best,

Adam Isacson

Director for Defense Oversight

In a recent episode of Derechos Humanos Pa Vos, WOLA President, Carolina Jiménez, speaks about the urgent need to monitor and protect migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. This podcast is in Spanish.

In April 2022, WOLA launched its one-of-a-kind Border Oversight Database, which documents hundreds of reports of human rights violations and abuses against migrants and asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border. 

Ana María Méndez Dardón

Director for Central America

"The country that Arévalo will be receiving is very complex. It will have a transitional government because the changes in poverty, economic, social and cultural rights in Guatemala are structural issues that, in four years, no government can change [...] However, Arévalo could lay the foundations.”

– Reuters, Arévalo gana presidencia de Guatemala por amplio margen, promete fin a "tanta corrupción"

"At the cost of democracy. That is a cost that society should not been paying. As we know, from the beginning, President Bukele has been a very good communicator- he uses social media constantly- but now he uses his social media to attack critics and criticism..." 

– Nexus, World’s Hardest President drops murders by 92% - has 90% approval!

Carolina Jiménez Sandoval

President

Stephanie Brewer

Director for Mexico

"The president views the military as honest and not corrupt, whereas he presents civilian forces and institutions as being corrupt and rotten. And, of course, this is a false dichotomy.”

– Newsweek, Is Mexico's military becoming too powerful?

Erratum: Correction Regarding Photo Caption in Last Week's Newsletter

In our newsletter from last week, an unfortunate error occurred in the photo caption accompanying Francisco Altschul's obituary. The caption should read as follows: Ambassador Altschul with Melinda Delashmutt Altschul (left) and Cristina Eguizábal at the 2011 WOLA Human Rights Award Ceremony and Benefit Gala.

We deeply regret this oversight and any confusion it may have caused. Please take a moment to view the complete obituary here. Sincere apologies.

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