Welcome to the weekly world briefing, a midweek feature that helps you stay up to date on issues worldwide and how they affect travelers. Is there something you think should be added to the next briefing? Tell us on Twitter.
In the United States…
The partial government shutdown entered its nineteenth day on Wednesday, making it the second longest government shutdown in U.S. history. On Tuesday night, President Donald Trump delivered a speech urging Americans to view the lack of security on the U.S.-Mexico border as a “humanitarian crisis.” Trump is demanding $5.7b in funding for a wall along parts of the border, but Congressional Democrats are refusing to provide the funds. In a televised response to the speech, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi accused Trump of “manufacturing a crisis,” and pleaded with the president to reopen the government.
Last week, House Democrats passed a bill to reopen the entire government except for the Department of Homeland Security, and another to temporarily reopen the DHS while negotiations over the wall continued. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said he will not bring those bills to the senate floor. Senate Democrats are considering blocking all legislation until the government is reopened, and several Senate Republicans have broken rank to endorse reopening the government without wall funding. An Ipsos/Reuters poll released on Tuesday found that 51% of Americans blame Trump for the shutdown while only 32% blame Congressional Democrats.
Earlier this week, Trump threatened to declare a national emergency in an effort to bypass congress and build the wall. While that action may be legal, it would almost certainly be met with judicial challenges.
The effects of the shutdown are increasing on affected government agencies including the Department of Judiciary, the Department of the Interior, and the IRS. If you are planning on flying this weekend, you may experience longer wait times at airport security. Though TSA agents have continued to show up to work in high numbers thus far, they will miss their first paycheck this Friday. The TSA is activating some emergency procedures to allow more flexibility in when and where their agents work.
National parks continue to suffer. Though many have stayed open, there is no oversight, restrooms are out of order, and trash cans are overflowing. Joshua Tree National Park is closed through this Friday as government workers attempt to clean up the area.
While the effects on National Parks are temporary, the wall may affect some destinations permanently. Some activists worry that the wall would damage the National Butterfly Reserve on the U.S.-Mexico border. The wall is set to cut through the Reserve, but U.S. Customs and Border Protection has stated, “Access to the National Butterfly Center will not be impeded by the border wall.” Marianna Wright, executive director of the center is skeptical. She told the San Antonio Express-News, “A comprehensive and thorough environmental study and assessment cannot be done between now and the time the bulldozers roll in.”
In Fortaleza, Brazil…
An uptick in violence this week caused the newly inaugurated Brazilian government to deploy 300 troops to the northeastern city. Gang members burned buses, banks, and service centers in a protest against new, tougher measures in local prisons. Among the new measures is an end to Brazil’s policy of separating inmates by gang affiliation. Brazil’s prison population – the third largest in the world – is largely run by gangs. Fortaleza’s residents returned to work on Monday in a tense environment.
Brazil’s murder rate of 30.8 per 100,000 people (2017) is one of the highest in the world. Gang violence is the primary driver of the violence, especially in poverty-stricken north and northeast urban centers. Jair Bolsonaro, the new far-right president, was elected in part due to his tough-on-crime rhetoric. In his first week in office, Bolsonaro pushed a law to protect police from criminal prosecution if they kill someone while on duty. Critics worry the law will increase extrajudicial killings.
Bolsonaro has been quick to deliver on other campaign promises as well, including reworking the Department of Agriculture, a move that may open the door for massive deforestation of the Amazon.
Though Brazil’s murder rate is alarmingly high, there are safe ways to visit the largest country in South America. The U.S. State Department recommends that travelers “exercise increased caution in Brazil due to crime.” If you are planning on taking a trip to Brazil, avoid the following areas:
- Anywhere within 150 km of Brazil’s land borders with Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and Paraguay. U.S. Government Personnel are barred from entering these areas save a couple National Parks.
- Favela neighborhoods. Favelas are shanty towns in Brazilian urban centers. Police do not operate in these areas.
- Brasilia’s “satellite cities,” especially during nightfall.
- Recife’s Pina Beach
Fortaleza is the state capital of Ceará, a state at the center of drug-related gang violence. However, the coastal city boasts a flourishing arts scene and a fascinating historical center, as well as several famous tourist attractions. As with travel to anywhere unfamiliar, be aware of your surroundings, and do not wander alone to locations that may be unsafe.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo…
Election officials have not yet released the results of a December 30th presidential election. The results were due on Sunday, but officials say they need more time to organize votes in the country of 85 million people. Now, leaders in Zambia and South Africa as well as opposition leaders are urging a quick release of results. As patience wanes, the potential for violence grows. Though the election has been widely peaceful thus far, anti-riot police have been deployed in the capital city of Kinshasa.
Three front runners are vying to replace President Joseph Kabila, who is stepping down after 18 years per constitutional rules. The election was delayed three times in two years, sparking massive protests. Kabila’s preferred successor, Emmanuel Shadary, is a hard-line, anti-protest former minister. His primary opponents, Martin Fayulu and Felix Tshisekedi, are an oil executive turned protest leader and a lifelong politician, respectively. The country is hoping for its first peaceful transition of power since gaining independence in 1960.
Once a Belgian colony, the DRC (then-called Zaire) was ruled by a dictatorial one-party state from 1971-1997. When Kabila’s father rose to power in 1997, ethnic tensions bubbled up, causing the Second Congo War. Kabila oversaw the end of the war and tamped down further violence, sometimes using dubious methods. The DRC may be the most mineral-rich country in the world, yet it consistently has one of the lowest nominal GDPs per capita. The country is the world’s largest producer of cobalt ore, which is used in smartphone batteries.
Tourism is uncommon in the DRC. The most common form of tourism is centered around the country’s wildlife, especially its primates. Some tourists choose the mountains of eastern DRC over neighboring Uganda and Rwanda to see mountain gorillas because it is cheaper. We do not recommend this. Both Uganda and Rwanda are safer destinations. If you would like to visit the DRC, stick to urban centers and avoid the eastern part of the country due to violence and kidnappings. Keep in mind that the weeks surrounding elections are often a dangerous time to visit unstable democracies.
In Serbia…
Last week, thousands of protestors marched for the fifth week against President Aleksandar Vucic, who they say has attacked journalists and the opposition and seized media control. The marches came after opposition politician Borko Stefanovic was attacked in November by unknown assailants. Authorities deny that Vucic had anything to do with the attack.
The protests were largest in Belgrade, though they also broke out in Novi Sad and Kragujevac. Vucic, who was formerly prime minister, won the presidency in 2017 with 55% of the vote. His Serbian Progressive Party holds 160 of 250 seats in parliament. His role as president is mostly ceremonial, though some say he wants to make it more impactful. Previously a radical Serb nationalist, Vucic left the Radical party in 2008 to join the Progressive Party. He defended Serb leaders during the 1992-95 Bosnian War, saying, ““You kill one Serb and we will kill 100 Muslims” just after the Srebrenica massacre. Now, he calls the massacre a “horrible crime.” “I do not hide that I have changed…I am proud of that,” he told AFP.
Vucic is pro-EU and is pushing for Serbia to join the union. He has a practical approach to the presidency, meaning he does what’s best for Serbia. ““Serbia moves forward. We do not hide our interests, we do not lie to anyone, we keep our word and know what we want,” he has said. This means while he cooperates with the EU on many issues, like better relations with Kosovo and welcoming refugees traveling through Serbia, but he also refrained from sanctioning Moscow over the Ukraine crisis and says Russian President Putin has been a friend to Serbia.
The opposition says he wants to tighten his grip on power and is against a free media. They held signs during the protests reading “1 in 5 Million,” in reference to a statement from Vucic that he would not implement a free media “even if there were 5 million people in the street.”
Don’t let the protests deter you. Serbia is safe for visitors and full of incredible archaeological, natural, and and culinary wonders. Do be cognizant of the current situation, though. If you talk about politics, ask questions and be respectful. If protests break out during your visit, try to stay away from crowded areas.
