Press Release: NEW PUBLICATION BY COHA SENIOR FELLOW W. ALEJANDRO SANCHEZ: PERU’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO UN PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS

 NEW PUBLICATION BY COHA SENIOR FELLOW W. ALEJANDRO SANCHEZ: PERU’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO UN PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS

Originally published: http://www.coha.org/new-publication-by-coha-senior-fellow-w-alejandro-sanchez-perus-contributions-to-un-peacekeeping-operations/ July 18, 2014

The Council on Hemispheric Affairs is pleased to highlight the most recent work of one of its most active young scholars, COHA Senior Research Fellow W. Alejandro Sanchez.

His most recent essay is: “Misiones Singularmente Complicadas: El Rol del Peru en las Operaciones de Paz de las Naciones Unidas.” Sanchez’s work was initially published in Perspectivas, a journal by the William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies of the National Defense University. (Vol. 2, July 2014, P. 7-19).

To access a free PDF copy of this essay click here.

Sanchez’ analysis discusses Peru’s contributions to over a dozen UN peacekeeping operations since 1958 to the present. In order to advance his argument, he carries out case studies of Peru’s role in two particular missions: the “Batallón Peru,” which participated in the peace missions after the 1973 Arab-Israeli conflict, and the “Compañia Peru,” which currently forms part of MINUSTAH, the ongoing UN peace mission in Haiti. Finally, COHA’s analyst carries out an in-depth discussion of Peru’s present political, security, and economic situation, pondering the question whether Lima could realistically increase its contributions to UN peacekeeping missions in the near future.

W. Alejandro Sanchez is COHA’s dedicated specialist on geopolitics, military and cyber security issues in Latin America and the Caribbean. He regularly appears in a variety of media outlets and is a regular contributor to publications such as VOXXI and Blouin News. He is also an alumna of the Perry Center. You can follow Sanchez via his Twitter at: @W_Alex_Sanchez.

Sanchez has published various articles on Latin America contributions to UN peacekeeping missions:

“Brazil’s Grand Design for Combining Global South Solidarity and National Interests: A Discussion of Peacekeeping Operations in Haiti and Timor.” Globalizations. 2012 Special Issue. Volume 9, Issue 1. Pages 161-178http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14747731.2012.627719(contact COHA via e-mail if you would like a PDF of this essay)

“Contributor Profile: Peru.” Providing for Peacekeeping Project. October 21, 2013.  http://www.providingforpeacekeeping.org/

“Peacekeeping and Military Operations by Latin American Militaries: Between Being a Good Samaritan and Servicing the National Interest.” Report. Council on Hemispheric Affairs. January 22, 2010. http://www.coha.org/peacekeeping-and-military-operations/

If you would like to contact Mr. Sanchez regarding his latest analysis, or with the offices of any other of our other specialists, we invite you to do so via e-mail at coha@coha.org or by calling our offices at +1.202.223.4975. Also, be sure to follow us via our free e-newsletter and social media accounts.

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 NUEVA PUBLICACION POR EL ANALISTA W. ALEJANDRO SANCHEZ SOBRE LAS CONTRIBUCIONES DE PERU EN LAS OPERACIONES DE PAZ DE LA ONU

 Publicado Originalmente en:
http://cohistas.wordpress.com/2014/07/18/nueva-publicacion-por-el-analista-w-alejandro-sanchez-sobre-las-contribuciones-de-peru-en-las-operaciones-de-paz-de-la-onu/ - Julio 18, 2014

El Consejo de Asuntos Hemisféricos se complace en infomar a nuestros seguidores el reciente artículo de uno de nuestros jóvenes investigadores, W. Alejandro Sánchez.

Su ensayo más reciente es: “Misiones Singularmente Complicadas: El Rol del Perú en las Operaciones de Paz de las Naciones Unidas.” y apareció en Perspectivas, un magazine especializado en temas de seguridad y defensa que es publicado por el Centro de Estudios de Defensa Hemisféricos William J. Perry,  de la National Defense University. (Vol. 2, July 2014, P. 7-19).

Para ver una versión gratis en PDF del artículo haga click aquí.

El análisis de Sánchez discute las contribuciones de Perú a las operaciones de paz de las Naciones Unidas y  recapitula la historia de la participación de las fuerzas armadas peruanas en más de una docena de misiones de la ONU desde 1958 hasta el presente. Para ilustrar su argumento, el autor lleva a cabo dos casos de estudio: el rol del “Batallón Perú” en la misión de paz después del conflicto Árabe-Israelí de 1973 y la participación de la “Compañía Perú” hoy en día en MINUSTAH, la misión de paz en Haití. Finalmente, Sánchez discute la situación de Perú hoy en día en términos políticos, de defensa y económicos. El objetivo es discutir si es realmente posible que Perú incremente en forma significativa sus contribuciones a las misiones de la ONU en el futuro cercano.

W. Alejandro Sánchez es el experto de COHA que se concentra en temas geopolíticos, militares y de ciber-seguridad en Latinoamérica y el Caribe. Él ha aparecido varias veces en diferentes medios de comunicación y también escribe para VOXXI y Blouin News. Sánchez es también un ex alumno del Centro Perry. Les invitamos a que sigan a nuestro analista vía Twitter:@W_Alex_Sanchez.

Sanchez ha escrito varios artículos sobre el rol de Peru y Latinoamérica en general en las misiones de paz de la ONU:

“Brazil’s Grand Design for Combining Global South Solidarity and National Interests: A Discussion of Peacekeeping Operations in Haiti and Timor.” Globalizations. 2012 Special Issue. Volume 9, Issue 1. Pages 161-178 (http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14747731.2012.627719– por favor manden un e-mail a COHA si desea una copia de este artículo en PDF)

“Contributor Profile: Peru.” Providing for Peacekeeping Project. October 21, 2013.  http://www.providingforpeacekeeping.org/

“Peacekeeping and Military Operations by Latin American Militaries: Between Being a Good Samaritan and Servicing the National Interest.” Report. Council on Hemispheric Affairs. January 22, 2010. http://www.coha.org/peacekeeping-and-military-operations/

Si le gustaría contactarse con el Señor Sánchez sobre su más reciente análisis, le invitamos a enviar su mensaje a nuestro correocoha@coha.org o llamen a nuestras oficinas al +1.202.223.4975. También le recomendamos de subscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico y seguirnos vía nuestras cuentas sociales.

VOXXI: Chikungunya virus in Venezuela tests post-Chavez health sector

"Chikungunya virus in Venezuela tests post-Chavez health sector"
W. Alejandro Sanchez
VOXXI
July 18, 2014
Originally published: http://voxxi.com/2014/07/18/chikungunya-venezuela-health-care/

As of mid-July, there more than 40 cases of Chikungunya have been reported in Venezuela.

Since the virus appeared in the Caribbean in late 2013, cases are now being reported throughout the region, including Central and South American nations. Although the infection is not lethal, its arrival to the mainland is problematic. At a time when Venezuela’s health sector is suffering from the country’s economic crisis and the long-term effects of Hugo Chavez’s presidency, chikungunya will sternly test the country’s health agencies.

Chikungunya expands in Venezuela

On June 26, the Venezuelan Ministry of Health confirmed the first two cases of chikungunya in the country. Two patients, a 55-year-old woman and her 25-year-old son, residents of Maracay (north-central Venezuela) were originally treated for dengue. However, further tests confirmed that they were suffering from chikungunya.

The virus has continued to spread and, by July 15, there were 45 confirmed cases. The ages of the infected vary, from 4-year-old toddlers to 55-year-old adults. It seems that chikungunya is now present in Caracas, the capital, as well as states such as Bolivar, Amazonas, Zulia, and Portuguesa.

Estimations of the number of people infected by chikungunya vary, as new cases are constantly being reported. With the chance that the virus is mistaken as dengue, these figures are likely underestimated.

According to an April PAHO press release, there were more than 15,000 suspected cases in the Caribbean by the end of March. On the other hand, a June 19 article by the Spanish news agency EFE explains that, there were 4,800 confirmed cases and 165 thousand suspected cases of chikungunya in more than 20 countries at the time of reporting.

Basic facts on Chikungunya

According to Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Aedes Aegypti or the Aedes Albopictus, two types of mosquitoes, transmit chikungunya. These insects live and breed along the Atlantic coasts of the Western Hemisphere, from the U.S. down to Argentina.

Chikungunya possesses remarkable similarities to dengue, and therefore patients are often mistaken as suffering from one instead of the other. PAHO explains that about three to seven days after a person is bitten by an infected mosquito, high fever, headache, and joint and muscle pain strikes the individual.

As it stands, there is a no specific treatment or vaccine to cure chikungunya.

Tests for Venezuela’s health sector

The extent of the virus’s reach in Venezuela remains to be seen, although Peru and the United States have already reported cases.

Fast methods of transportation dramatically increase chikungunya’s spread since individuals may contract the virus in one country, with symptoms only displaying in another (as it takes days for the disease to manifest itself). Case in point, Venezuela’s first cases of chikungunya originated in the Dominican Republic (DR). Likewise, the Peruvian media reports that chikungunya arrived in the Andean nation via travelers that came from the DR.

As for Venezuela, chikungunya will pose a major challenge to its health sector. Venezuelan Minister of Health Francisco Armadaand other senior officials regularly provide updates on the situation, praising the country’s health agencies. For example, when six new cases of chikungunya were reported in late June, Jesus Toro, director of Environmental Health in the Ministry of Health, praised the work of public and private health agencies. These institutions have been reporting new cases as they arise throughout the country.

Nevertheless, Venezuela’s economic struggles have had a deleterious effect on its health sector. A March 20 article in the Venezuelan daily “El Universal” explains that medicine for patients who suffer from hemophilia, a blood disorder, is now scarce. The daily also states that Venezuela imports up to 60% of the medicine it utilizes.

Understaffed and under-equipped hospitals means that sick Venezuelans will have to wait more time to know whether they have chikungunya (and not dengue).

Venezuela’s health sector was dramatically affected by the lengthy rule of the late president, Hugo Chavez. In a controversial decision, President Chavez allowed Cuban doctors to operate in the South American country in order to provide aid to impoverished communities. The virus will now test how well Venezuela’s health sector, can perform to stop the disease from spreading further.

At the time of writing, Venezuela’s situation is not dire, medically speaking. Chikungunya has spread in recent weeks, but it has yet to reach alarming levels, as it is in some Caribbean islands. On Caracas’ side, the virus is not lethal, but Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro must avoid mass hysteria among an already tense population and prevent chikungunya from becoming an epidemic.

How Chavez’s health sector reforms and the recent economic troubles will affect Venezuela’s ability to deal with a tricky disease will be determined in the coming week.

VOXXI: China’s President Xi Jinping’s ambitious Latin American tour

"China's President Xi Jinping's Ambitious Latin American Tour"
W. Alejandro Sanchez
VOXXI
July 12, 2014
Originally published: http://voxxi.com/2014/07/12/chinese-president-latin-american-tour/

China’s President Xi Jinping is about to embark on an ambitious Latin American tour: From July 15 to July 23, the Chinese leader will attend a BRICS summit in Brazil, and then travel to Argentina, Cuba, and Venezuela.

The BRICS summit will likely receive the most news coverage, but the Chinese leader may accomplish more during his visits to the other Western Hemisphere nations.

China’s trade with Argentina

President Xi Jinping will arrive in Argentina next Friday, July 18. Since China and Argentina first established relations in 1972, commerce has been an important cornerstone in their relationship. For example, the Sino-Argentine Chamber of Commerce hosted a symposium on May 26 to discuss economic cooperation between Argentina and the Chinese city of Shenyang.

As for trade, a July 1 press release by the Argentine government states that China was a major importer of Argentine goods over the past trimester. During this period, China imported 7.8 percent of Argentine goods, and became Argentina’s second trading partner (Brazil was first with 20.6 percent of imports).

China is also interested in strengthening energy ties with Argentina.

For example, the China National Offshore Oil Corporation bought shares of the Argentine energy firm Bridas in 2010. It seems that China plans to use this company as a proxy to begin drilling in the Vaca Muerta oil field in the near future.

Finally, Beijing-Buenos Aires relations received a diplomatic boost during the G77+China summit in Bolivia this June. During the meeting, the representatives of the participating nations, including China, declared their support for Argentina over the infamous “vulture funds.”

China’s ties with Venezuela

 

Relations between Venezuela and China greatly improved during the presidency of the late Hugo Chávez, and it seems that Nicolas Maduro––Venezuela’s current president––is following in his mentor’s footsteps. The strengthening relations between the two nations are best demonstrated by Maduro’s trip to Beijing in September 2013, and Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Caracas this past April.

Today, Venezuela is China’s fourth largest trading partner in Latin America, and China is Venezuela’s second largest trading partner. The Chinese People Daily explains that bilateral commerce reached $19 million USD in 2013.

However, the relationship between these two countries goes beyond trade. As BBC explains, China has continued to heavily invest in Venezuela. Two major Chinese oil companies, China National Petroleum Corporation and China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation have invested in the South American country’s oil industry.

Additionally, China is attempting to profit from the billions of dollars that Venezuela spends on its armed forces. This past April, there were reports that Caracas had finally agreed to purchase the L-15 Falcon, a military aircraft manufactured by China.

China’s trade with Cuba

China and Cuba have generally had good relations since 1960, when they first established diplomatic ties.

Most recently, Cuban Foreign Affairs Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla traveled to Beijing to meet with President Xi Jinping in November 2013. To return the favor,  Minister Wan Yi visited Cuba this past April. Additionally, a Chinese military delegation, led by a colonel of the People’s Army, also visited the Caribbean island in May. They met with senior Cuban officials, including Raúl Castro.

In recent years, the Cuban government has worked to attract international investment. One big example of Havana’s success is that Brazil is financing the upgrading of the port of Mariel. However, Cuba desires Chinese investment as well.

In September 2013, the Cuban Ministry of International Commerce provided information to Chinese companies about a 295 square mile sector around the Mariel port, where Havana wants to develop an industrial sector.

More recently, in April the Cuban embassy in Beijing organized a conference for Chinese industrialists, once again to promote development in Mariel. According to Cubadebate.cu, a pro-Cuban government news agency, representatives from companies such as the China National Huachen Energy Group have expressed interest in investing.

Chances of Success

The future of commercial relations between China and Latin America will not be solely determined by bilateral initiatives.  In the past months, media reports have discussed whether MERCOSUR, of which Argentina and Venezuela are members, could begin negotiations for a free trade agreement with China. (Though speculation regarding this deal dates back to 2012). Without a doubt, Buenos Aires and Caracas would greatly benefit from exporting more to China, but negotiations have yet to begin.

As for Cuba, the Chinese government certainly approves that Havana has been a thorn in Washington’s side for decades. However, in spite of ideological similarities, trade between the two countries remains unimpressive. This would change if Chinese and Cuban leaders agree on some kind of development project for Mariel, as Havana desires.

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Latin America comes at a time when the region’s nations are looking for more commercial partners in the Asia Pacific region. As we have discussed, each nation has different interests, from Cuba’s development of Mariel to Venezuelan and Argentine oil.

Given the positive reception that awaits President Xi Jinping during his upcoming Latin American tour, it is likely that the Chinese leader will return home with several beneficial commercial accords in his briefcase.

VOXXI: The China of the West: BMW pledges $1Billion to build plant in Mexico

"The China of the West: BMW pledges $1Billion to build plant in Mexico"
W. Alejandro Sanchez
VOXXI
July 8, 2014
Originally published: http://voxxi.com/2014/07/08/bmw-build-plant-mexico/

All eyes are looking at Mexico for investment opportunities; case in point is the July 3rd announcement that BMW will construct a $1 billion USD plant in San Luis Potosi.

This is an important deal that will bring jobs to the Latin American nation in the near future. Nevertheless, in spite of Mexico’s success at attracting foreign investment, the Mexican automobile workforce is not being properly compensated for their role in helping their nation grow.

The Deal

It makes sense that BMW chose Mexico for a new plant. As Reuters explains, the Latin American state has a large industrial base and enjoys “tariff-free access to the U.S. market.”

If everything goes on schedule, the plant will become operational by 2019, employing 1,500 workers in its initial phases and producing up to 150,000 vehicles annually. The company has not revealed which car will be built there, but speculation centers around BMW’s 3 Series.

Unsurprisingly, Mexican government officials highly praised the deal. For example, Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo declared, “with this investment, Mexico is stepping up to premium-level production of global vehicles.”

BMW now joins other vehicle manufacturing companies that plan to construct plants in Mexico, including Kia Motors Corp and Daimler, in partnership with Nissan.

Money and Treatment

But while the Mexican government, BMW and San Luis Potosi pat themselves on the back, there are losers in the deal. One example is the United Auto Workers, one of the largest labor unions in the U.S., which would have preferred if BMW had opened its new plant in the U.S. (The company already has a plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina).

Likewise, after the BMW and Daimler/Nissan accords were announced, the renowned Canadian daily Globe and Mail stated that these deals “underline how Canada is being eclipsed by Mexico when it comes to new auto investment.” An article in the daily highlighted how Mexico City enjoys free-trade agreements with more than 40 countries and also has “ports on both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans that operate year-round.” (Meanwhile, Canada has FTAs with just over 10 nations, although it is in negotiations with more than 60 others)

Additionally the Globe and Mail also praised the Latin American country’s foreign investment agency, ProMexico, which is constantly lobbying major companies to invest there. Just this past June, the agency presented a financial report entitled The Report: Mexico 2014, which analyzes the country’s industrial sectors and discusses structural reforms enforced to make Mexico increase its competitiveness.

Mexican Interests

While the BMW deal is a victory for Mexico City and San Luis Potosi, it is also a loss for other Mexican states that wanted the plant, like Hidalgo.

A July 4 article in the Mexican daily Milenio argues that Hidalgo was a better option for the BMW plant because the state is already constructing the “Plataforma Logistica de Hidalgo,” an industrial district for manufacturing companies. It also highlighted how convenient it is to travel from Hidalgo to Nuevo Laredo, a town that borders the U.S. and is a gateway for commerce between the two nations.

Aside from the debate around which state is better suited for the plant, it makes sense for BMW to move its operations to Mexico. As previously mentioned, the Latin American country has an ideal location as it neighbors the U.S., a prime target for BMW’s vehicles.

Additionally, Mexico has an experienced automobile workforce, as the country is already the eighth largest producer of vehicles in the world. “The auto sector represents 20% of Mexico’s manufacturing industry and contributes about 4% of gross domestic product,” adds Marketwatch.com.

Ultimately the deciding factor for BMW’s decision was Mexican wages. A January 2014 article in Manufactura.mx explains the requirements for workers to apply for a job at an Audi plant in the state of Puebla. It also explains that salaries for automobile workers in 2014 are between 200 Mexican pesos ($15 USD) and 560 pesos ($43 USD) a day. This makes Mexican workers woefully underpaid.

In fact, of the 20 major automobile producers in the world, Mexico is in the bottom three when it comes to salaries. Hence, Mexico has gained the dubious title of “China of the West,” due to its skilled labor force and alarming low salaries.

By the end of the decade BMW will have a new plant in San Luis Potosi and Mexico’s automobile manufacturing industry will continue to grow. While this reads like a headline of only winners, there are also losers such as Canada, the U.S. automobile industry as well as Mexican states like Hidalgo.

Ultimately, the main question is how beneficial the plant will be. Certainly, cars will be exported, BMW’s coffers will swell, and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto can take credit for this deal. But when it comes to Mexico’s automobile workers, they still await a more just salary while their country participates in a global race to the bottom.