Colombia's peace accord, drug policy reform...


** Latin America in Review:
------------------------------------------------------------

As Venezuela’s humanitarian and economic crisis has worsened in recent years, nearly 6 million Venezuelans have fled to neighboring countries, sparking the largest mass displacement in the hemisphere’s recent history. Civil society organizations across the hemisphere are working tirelessly to advocate for Venezuelan migrants and refugees, and to urge their respective governments to adopt humane policies that respond to migrants’ most basic needs.

WOLA participated in two recent Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) hearings, one on the human rights situation of judicial independence in Guatemela, and the other on migrant/refugee protections in the U.S., Mexico, and northern Central America. As the fifth anniversary of the signing of the historic Colombia peace accord approaches in November, civil society groups and social leaders continue to assess what is preventing full implementation efforts.

You can learn more about our latest work by visiting our website ([link removed]) and following us on social media.


** Our Partners in Action:
------------------------------------------------------------
[link removed]


** Helen Mack meets with Rep. Norma Torres in D.C.
------------------------------------------------------------

During a Fundación Myrna Mack trip to D.C., the organization's president Helen Mack met with Rep. Torres (D-CA), along with WOLA's Central America Program Assistant Julia Aikman Cifuentes, to discuss strategies for democratic governance and judicial independence in the Northern Triangle.

[link removed]


** Colombian Women Speaking Truth to End Violence:
------------------------------------------------------------
Women from various organizations in Colombia shared testimonies and offered recommendations to address all forms of violence against women and ensure a strong gender approach for understanding the conflict and building lasting peace.
Watch the full event here ([link removed]) .


** WOLA in Action:
------------------------------------------------------------
[link removed]
[link removed]

[link removed]


** 🎙 Recent Podcasts 🎙
------------------------------------------------------------
[link removed]
Listen now ([link removed])


** WOLA in the News
------------------------------------------------------------

“[Maintaining former FARC commander Pablo Catatumbo on the U.S. foreign terrorist list] creates the narrative that the only actor that has committed crimes against humanity is the FARC... It takes away the state responsibility for all the crimes they committed.” - Gimena Sanchez-Garzoli, Director for the Andes, in The Washington Post ([link removed]) .

“Unless the international community really pushes the peace accord – on its fifth anniversary – and relaunches its implementation, and forces whichever government’s in power in Colombia to take that seriously, we’re just going to see an increase in these kinds of killings.” - Gimena Sánchez-Garzoli, Director for the Andes, in Al Jazeera ([link removed]) .

“...el cambio más notable en la estrategia está en el “tono” por “la escasa mención a la ‘erradicación’”, la mención específica del acuerdo de paz y sus disposiciones rurales y “el uso intensivo de la palabra ‘holístico’”. - Adam Isacson, Director for Defense Oversight, in AP News ([link removed]) .

“The U.S. government is wanting to work with the Mexican government and Central American governments on... addressing these smuggling rings. But that can't happen unless you also address some of this corruption within these (government) agencies.” - Maureen Meyer, Vice President for Programs, in NPR ([link removed]) .

“...el enfoque inicial de la Iniciativa Mérida fue la detención de capos y el fortalecimiento de las fuerzas castrenses, pero evolucionó para apoyar en otros aspectos más integrales.” - Stephanie Brewer, VP for Mexico and Migrant Rights, in Reforma. ([link removed])


** WOLA Campaign Updates
------------------------------------------------------------
[link removed]

[link removed]

🇨🇴 Stay updated on the Con Líderes Hay Paz ([link removed]) campaign by signing up ([link removed]) for our campaign newsletters or follow the #ConLíderesHayPaz hashtag on social media.

👣 Sign up here ([link removed]) for weekly border and migration updates from our experts. Read our past updates here ([link removed]) .

🔍 Visit the Central America Monitor website ([link removed]) for updated data and new reports.


** Upcoming Events
------------------------------------------------------------
View all upcoming and past events hosted by WOLA on our website or by subscribing to our newsletter.
All Events ([link removed])


** Jobs & Internships
------------------------------------------------------------
WOLA is currently taking applications for a Communications Assistant as well as for the Spring 2022 cohort of interns.

Learn more about the Sally Yudelman Internship Program here ([link removed]) .
Job Openings ([link removed])
Ways to give ([link removed])
Contact:
Kimberly Durón
Assistant Director for Content Production
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

============================================================
** Sign Up ([link removed])
** Twitter ([link removed])
** Facebook ([link removed])
** Instagram ([link removed])
** Website ([link removed])
Copyright © 2021 Washington Office on Latin America, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you are signed up to the WOLA mailing list.

Our mailing address is:
Washington Office on Latin America
1666 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Suite 400
Washington, DC 20009
USA
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can ** update your preferences ([link removed])
or ** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])