America Security News.- President Barack Obama and Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto, right, leave a joint news conference in Mexico City, Mexico, Thursday, May 2, 2013. Credit to AP Photo

Last week, Mr. Obama returned to capitals in Latin America with a vastly different message. Relationships with countries racked by drug violence and organized crime should focus more on economic development and less on the endless battles against drug traffickers and organized crime capos that have left few clear victors. The countries, Mexico in particular, need to set their own course on security, with the United States playing more of a backing role.READ WHOLE ARTICLE HERE

Opposition supporters react as they hear the official presidential elections results in Caracas, Venezuela, Sunday, April 14, 2013. Photo Credit AP Photo/Enric Marti

The United States is refusing to acknowledge Nicolas Maduro as the rightfully elected President of Venezuela in a razor-thin victory.

The U.S. is also calling for a “credible and transparent process to reassure the Venezuelan people regarding the results.”

Shortly thereafter Venezuela’s Supreme Court announced there would be no recount.

Secretary of State John Kerry stated the U.S. had not decided whether to recognize Maduro as president.

Kerry is also calling for a recount so that there are no questions about Maduro’s right to rule,  during remarks to the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Capitol Hill and also hinted that the U.S. might not recognize Mr. Maduro as the rightful leader.

“We think there ought to be a recount, I don’t know whether it’s going to happen. … [But] obviously, if there are huge irregularities, we are going to have serious questions about the viability of that government”, said Kerry.

Opposition candidate Henrique Capriles Radonski also  demanded a recount – as did the United States, Spain, the European Union and the Organisation of American States.

The Americas Security News - Senator Pinto exiled in the brazilian embassy in Bolivia.

March 3rd.- The governments of Bolivia and Brazil on Saturday signed joint actions to combat drug trafficking and organized crime, protection of migrants and regional integration. The initiatives were defined in meeting by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Patriota (Brazil), and David Choquehuanca (Bolivia) in the bolivian city of Cochabamba.

Choquehuanca said that in April, there will be a meeting between the Defense Ministers of Bolivia and Brazil to review the policy of protection to immigrants in the border regions. In the meeting will participate commanders of the Army, Navy and Air Force of both countries, to coordinate activities in joint border.

The governments of Bolivia and Brazil agreed also to establish a commission of officials and experts who will analyze the case of Bolivian senator Roger Pinto, exiled for more than nine months in the Brazilian Embassy in La Paz. Pinto is accusing the bolivian government of links with the drug trafficking.

The Americas Security News - Israeli drone Hermes 450

FIFA is getting nervous with the status quo of violence in Rio and Sao Paulo. Brazil also worries, and therefore the government started to put into place a task of security measures. The first one is the use of drones to secure the next Confederations Cup in June, where all the champions of all continents will meet. in that sense the Brazilian Air Forcewill use four Israeli-made drones to help provide security during the Confederations Cup in June.

The Brazilian Air Force says the unmanned planes have been acquired to operate within Brazil’s borders and will be used extensively during the World Cup warmup tournament from June 15-30. If everything goes well this Cup, the drones are also expected to help provide security during the 2014 World Cup.

Brazil has had two of the RQ-450 drones manufactured by Israel in operation since 2011. The other two will be ready this month (March 2013).

The two new units have a few improvements from the other two, including better infrared cameras and enhanced communication systems, that will be used during the nights. The air force says it has invested nearly $25 million in the unnmanned aircrafts, plus the field control station.

The Americas Security News.- President Fernandez de Kirchner in front of Falkland Malvinas Islands painted like the Argentine national flag

According to The Sunday Times, Argentina is developing missile technology that could threaten the Malvinas/Falkland Islands.

The british newspaper has learnt that military scientists in Argentina are building a rocket capable of being fired into space to an altitude of about 250 miles. Experts believe such technology could, in time, develop into a missile with a range of up to 372 miles.

This would put it easily within range of the Falklands, which are about 300 miles from the Argentine mainland, and could transform the balance of power in the south Atlantic.

Lord West, the former security minister and first sea lord, said he believed the only logical reason to develop such technology was to threaten the Malvinas/Falklands.

Ranking Member Adam Smith

Of the 30 largest House recipients of defense industry campaign donations since the 1990 election cycle, only 11 are still serving in Congress, according to the analysis of magazine POLITICO and federal data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics. It’s the same story in the Senate, where 14 of the top 30 recipients over the same time period still serve.

READ MORE HERE: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/02/defense-industry-finds-few-old-friends-on-hill-87991.html

The announcement Friday by Undersecretary Eduardo Sánchez of the Interior Secretariat was another sign that President Enrique Peña Nieto is developing a whole different strategy against the cartels, and wants to distance itself from practices under the previous government, which left power Dec. 1.

Last week, Sánchez also told the press that police no longer would put suspected gangsters on display in “perp walks” before banks of television cameras, nor would authorities post “most-wanted” lists, allow news media to air raids in action or refer to gangsters by aliases.

“It is not acceptable, nor will it ever be under this government, that authorities conduct themselves in arbitrary ways that hurt society (or) lead to impunity and injustice,” Sánchez said at a news conference.READ MORE HERE

The Americas Security News - Spending cuts in Pentagon

The U.S. Department of Defense DoD will impose a freeze on hiring civilians, cut operating costs on military bases and take more immediate steps to reduce spending in preparation for the possibility that U.S. Congress will fail to reach a deal to avert billions of dollars in additional cuts,  DoD officials said on Friday.   If  the White House and the Congress  do not an agreement, the Pentagon would be subject to $52 billion in cuts this fiscal year — about 10 percent of its non-war-fighting budget.

If no agreement by March 1, the DoD would have seven months to erase the $52 billion from its current budget because the fiscal year ends Sept. 30.  Cuts could affect defense programs, such as ship maintenance, purchase of new weapons and the military training programs.

A memo released Thursday by the Pentagon instructs all DoD forces and agencies to curtail spending on training, travel, office expenses and conferences. It also gives officials the authority to fire temporary workers.

The hiring freeze alone could have a significant impact on the economy in the Washington DC region (including Viriginia and Maryland). The Defense Department employs about 800,000 civilians worldwide, but many are concentrated locally.

U.S. President Obama nominated John Brennan to serve as director of the Central Intelligence Agency CIA, placing there a trusted aide and one of his inner circle.

During the decission making process, key reasons President Obama chose Mr. Brennan are:

a) Obama´s close relationship with Brennan, as he has served at Mr. Obama’s side for four years as counterterrorism chief

b) Brennan assisted Obama through many difficult decisions, including the raid that killed Osama bin Laden.

c) He was also a big fan of the CIA’s drone program and its expansion into Yemen

d) Brennan also helped Obama  with issues related to the intended close of the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

e) The nominated officer also mediate with Yemen to manage counterterrorism operations there

f) Brennan also assist Obama in topics like Somalia and to the  White House security policy in response to the Arab Spring.