Dear John,
The Americas have experienced intense months since my last Cafecito, and as 2022 draws to a close, I want to take a moment to reflect on the most significant events of the year, and the challenges that remain.
This year we witnessed momentous elections in Colombia and Brazil, as well as an important midterm election in the United States. In Brazil and Colombia, one of the most discussed potential scenarios was the possibility of instability and violence. Our Director for the Andes, Gimena Sánchez-Garzoli, observed both processes on the ground and I joined her in Brazil for the first round of the elections. The outcome of these electoral events contradicted predictions of a worst-case scenario. Colombia witnessed a peaceful transition of power and in Brazil, although certain challenges remain, we expect to see a change of government in the coming weeks. The U.S. midterm elections saw an increase in the youth vote in a number of states and the election of a member of "Generation Z" for the first time (an activist who fights against gun violence), while several candidates promoting anti-democratic values lost their seats. These results give me hope that the people of our region have not given up on democracy and are still willing to fight for it. This fight is not over yet, of course, and we are preparing for several election cycles that will take place in 2023 and 2024.
Last year, Xiomara Castro was elected as the first woman president of Honduras. In October, during our visit to Honduras to attend the Central America Donors Forum (CADF), Director for Central America, Ana María Méndez-Dardón, and I had the opportunity to meet with President Castro. While we agree on many of the problems facing the country and the region, we take issue with her administration's recent decision to impose a state of emergency to curb gang violence. We will continue to monitor the situation and raise awareness of this reckless situation.
Another issue that we continue to analyze and develop recommendations on is the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border, as well as the large number of people that are migrating and attempting to seek asylum throughout the region. In October, the Biden Administration announced that it would expand Title 42 to include Venezuelan individuals. This was a decision that WOLA strongly condemned, as this policy has simply been an extension of an arbitrary Trump-era policy that did nothing more than deny asylum seekers their legal right to seek refuge and protection. Fortunately, in November a federal judge decided to halt the use of Title 42, ordering it to end on December 21. While we applaud the possible end of Title 42, we continue to monitor the Biden administration's response, as the high number of migrants and asylum seekers we have seen this year at the U.S.-Mexico border is unlikely to diminish in the near future.
Another issue that will surely complicate any progress on immigration, border security and foreign aid will be the slim majority that Republicans will have in the U.S. House of Representatives. While we are glad that U.S. voters did not support several candidates who continue to deny the results of the presidential election, we are doubtful whether a divided Congress will bring about compromises needed to advance the human rights of migrants in the U.S., among other issues, or whether we will see more years of gridlock on foreign policy issues. However, we are encouraged to see that millions of voters in the United States continue to care about democracy, and consider issues like climate change and sexual and reproductive rights important enough to get out and vote. We look forward to working more on some of these issues in the new year.
Want to learn more about the most relevant events of 2022? Read some of our most popular articles of the year, including an interview with me on the spread of authoritarianism, a report on the impact of drug prohibition policies on the environment, and a podcast on the latest events at the U.S.-Mexico border.
As we approach the end of 2022, I would like to thank you for your concern and support for the issues that are important to WOLA and for continuing to believe in the work we do. I wish you all a happy holiday season.
Sincerely,
