El Cafecito #8 del 15/11/2024
Shifting power dynamics in Latin America, Brazil's diplomacy, Colombia's climate disaster, gang violence and the big issues on your reading list ahead of the weekend. By Prof. Nicolas Forsans
Latin America is still processing what Donald Trump’s return to the White House will mean for the region, with China’s investments in the region the embodiment of a regional shift forcing Brazil to navigate a more complex geopolitical landscape. In this week's edition of El Cafecito, we explore those shifts that shape the intricate fabric of the region's realities: from Ecuador's and Bolivia’s power struggles to climate disasters and power outages, the dire consequences of gang violence in Haiti, and Argentina's bold moves under President Milei. Dive into the headlines that shape Latin America today and discover how these events redefine the region's future.
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Did you miss ‘InFocus’ this week? Crime and Violence in Latin America
In our weekly post we asked a simple question: Why is Latin America the world’s most violent region?
A simple question— yet the answer is far from simple:
Shifting power dynamics in Latin America
China’s ‘megaport’ investment in Peru🇵🇪
Peru, the host country for APEC this year, has inaugurated with great fanfare the Port of Chancay today as the embodiment of a regional shift. The megaport opening underscores the greater attention Beijing has showered on the region in the face of comparative US indifference about its southern neighbours. US officials worry that Chinese warships could use the port, posing a strategic challenge.
The construction of the US$1.3 billion Chancay megaport, spearheaded by the Chinese shipping giant Cosco, has stirred controversy amid its promise to boost economic ties between South America and Asia, reports AP. The Peruvian government views the deep-water port as a strategic project to enhance trade and create economic zones, yet the development has faced strong backlash from Chancay’s residents. Fishermen and local workers claim that dredging for the port has destroyed fish breeding grounds, leading to smaller catches and economic hardship. Concerns also loom over potential pollution and oil spills, reminiscent of past environmental disasters. While Chinese and Peruvian officials herald the port’s economic potential, locals describe it as a project that enriches foreign and national elites while deepening local poverty and environmental damage.
China’s investment in Peru’s megaport is part of the inexorable rise of Chinese interest in resource-rich South America, adds AP. The renewed prospect of Donald Trump’s “America First” doctrine hampers Joe Biden’s ability to “reinforce the United States’ profile on his first presidential trip to South America ahead of the APEC Summit, leaving China and its leader, Xi Jinping, to grab the limelight in America’s proverbial backyard”.
China’s trade with the region ballooned 35-fold from 2000 to 2022, reaching nearly US$ 500 billion, according to ECLAC. Most of the region’s exports came from South America, and are concentrated in five products: soybeans, copper and iron ore, oil and copper cathodes.
China’s advances in Latin America should concern Trump, argues Atlantic Council, as China has replaced the United States as the dominant trading partner for all the region’s major economies, except for Mexico and Colombia. “Beijing has signed up most of Latin America and the Caribbean to an infrastructure program that excludes the U.S.,” writes the WSJ in a long feature. In January, Donald Trump will begin his second term determined to take a tougher approach to China, they write, particularly when it comes to economic competition and trade. However, in Latin America and the Caribbean—with its 33 nations and 660 million people—he’ll “confront the reality that the United States has already lost much ground”.
Shifting diplomacy
Brazil's international influence is being tested as President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva attempts to balance relations with the US, China, and Russia amidst shifting global power dynamics, writes the FT in its long read series. Lula, who has aimed to restore Brazil’s prominence on the global stage, now finds himself navigating a more complex geopolitical landscape. As Brazil prepares to host high-profile international summits, such as the G20 and COP30, Lula faces challenges in maintaining neutrality. His efforts to mediate in Venezuela and his controversial stance on the Ukraine conflict have strained relations with Western powers, while his close ties with China and Russia have raised concerns. Brazil’s traditional role as a neutral player in international diplomacy is increasingly under pressure as it seeks to assert itself without alienating key allies.
In “Lula’s Embrace of Xi Sets Up a Clash Over Trump’s China Policy”, Bloomberg argues that “it’s in Brazil’s economic interest not to choose sides in this feud between its top two trade partners. Its trade with China is more than double that with the US, but while the US receives mostly manufactured goods from Brazil, over three-quarters of Brazilian exports to China are commodities. The stock of American foreign direct investment in the country is over six times as large as Chinese FDI, but the latter is rising faster. If Trump intends to to use bilateral deals to tackle the US trade deficit, Brazil isn’t likely to be a priority as the US has a small surplus in its trade with Brazil”. Trump's anticipated tough stance, including high tariffs on Chinese imports, could challenge Brazil's deepening relationship with China. Despite concerns, Lula aims to leverage China's engagement to stimulate Brazil’s economy while maintaining strategic partnerships amid global competition.
Milei’s alliances 🇦🇷
Milei is seeking to leverage alliances with the US president-elect Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk to secure investments and a crucial new IMF loan for Argentina, which owes US$ 44 billion to the fund. Trump's recent election has sparked hopes within Milei's administration for expedited IMF negotiations, given the US's significant influence in the institution. While Trump's support could enhance Milei’s position, securing tangible outcomes will require substantial diplomatic infrastructure to align with the U.S. administration's priorities, which are expected to focus on migration and trade policies.
Milei’s strategy involves portraying himself as a steadfast ally in Trump’s global culture war against the "woke" left, despite policy differences, particularly on trade. This approach mirrors Trump’s instrumental role in Argentina’s 2018 record IMF bailout under President Mauricio Macri. However, potential economic pressures from Trump’s protectionist agenda and Milei’s controversial policies, such as dollarisation, pose risks.
The best reads in Latin American politics this week
Argentina 🇦🇷
Argentina said it could quit Paris climate accord, reports the FT. Its abrupt withdrawal from the COP29 climate summit in Baku has sparked global concern over its future role in climate agreements. The move, announced after President Javier Milei's call with Donald Trump, raises fears that Argentina might follow the USA in exiting the Paris Agreement. Milei's administration has already demoted the environment ministry, reflecting his belief that human-caused climate change is a “socialist lie.” The decision comes amid a significant shift in Argentina’s environmental and foreign policy priorities, marked by austerity measures.
🔗 More on these stories in last week’s Cafecito
In a significant move impacting Argentina’s aviation sector, President Milei's administration has initiated sweeping deregulation measures, intensifying a standoff with aviation unions, reports El Pais. After days of strikes that disrupted flights and stranded passengers, the government this week deregulated ramp services at airports and allowed security forces to handle these operations. The administration, under Milei's banner of fighting the “casta” and reducing state control, is pushing for the privatisation or closure of state-owned Aerolíneas Argentinas and Intercargo, which until now held a near-monopoly on ground handling services. Talks between unions and the administration led to a temporary truce as negotiations were set to continue, but with Milei maintaining a firm stance on reducing state subsidies and possibly dismantling state-run enterprises.
Bolivia 🇧🇴
Bolivia's Constitutional Court has ruled to strip Evo Morales of his leadership of the Movement for Socialism (MAS), the political party he founded (El Pais). The court granted control of the MAS to Grover García and other leaders aligned with President Luis Arce. This decision follows an unrecognised congress held by Arce's faction in May, which escalated the rift between the two political figures. Morales, once Arce’s mentor and now his adversary, had accused Arce of aiming to seize control of the party. The ruling comes amid heightened tensions, including Morales's disqualification from running for president and an arrest warrant related to an alleged sexual abuse case.
Meanwhile, plans are under way for the city of Belém in northern Brazil to host COP30 in 2025. Its connection to the Amazon rainforest makes it a fitting location for climate talks. Despite its rich environmental significance, Belém faces significant infrastructure challenges, reports the FT. Once a thriving port city, Belém is now one of Brazil's poorest state capitals, struggling with congestion, crime, and outdated infrastructure.
With an expected influx of tens of thousands of attendees, the city’s current facilities are insufficient, and plans are underway to address this. While environmentalists appreciate the focus on the Amazon, concerns remain about whether Belém’s infrastructure will be ready in time.
Brazil's booming online gambling market, particularly sports betting, has raised alarms about its potential economic impact (FT). The country has become the seventh-largest gambling market globally, but the lack of regulation has fuelled addiction and increased debt, especially among lower-income individuals. The government is working to address the issue through new regulations set to take effect in 2025, aiming to impose taxes, limit advertising, and curb addiction by requiring local registration for digital operators. The gambling industry's growth, alongside its social and economic consequences, highlights a complex dilemma for Brazil, balancing regulation with the potential for significant tax revenue
Chile 🇨🇱
A former top official in Chile has been arrested on rape charges in a blow to President Boric, writes AP. The case has shocked the South American country and dented domestic support for leftist President Gabriel Boric. Manuel Monsalve, 59, who until last month served as Chile’s deputy interior minister and played a key role in strategising the country’s fight against a rise in organised crime, faces accusations of raping a 32-year-old female staffer in a hotel room after meeting her for dinner in September. Monsalve has denied committing any crime
Colombia 🇨🇴
El Pais discusses the challenges facing Colombian President Gustavo Petro in navigating relations with the United States under the influence of Republican Senator Marco Rubio. Rubio, known for his hardline stances on foreign policy and support for right-wing figures like former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe, has been a vocal critic of Petro. The paper argues tensions are expected to rise over issues such as drug policy, the crisis in Venezuela, and sanctions on leftist regimes in the region. Rubio’s alignment with pro-Uribe factions and the Colombian-American community poses significant obstacles for Petro, particularly in advancing his agenda of lifting sanctions and reformulating anti-drug strategies. Rubio’s appointment to the White House may lead to heightened scrutiny and potential diplomatic strains between Colombia and the U.S., with implications for regional stability and bilateral cooperation.
President Gustavo Petro has appointed 18 former leaders of the demobilised paramilitary group, Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC), as "agents of peace", report El Tiempo and others. These individuals, some responsible for major massacres, will act as intermediaries between the government and criminal groups for six months. Their involvement in the peace process, particularly with the Clan del Golfo, a powerful criminal group descended from the AUC, has sparked controversy, with questions about the role these former combatants will play and what benefits they may receive, such as political rights similar to those given to former FARC members.
While the exact benefits and responsibilities of the former AUC leaders remain unclear, they may be instrumental in facilitating negotiations with the Clan del Golfo. This group, seeking political recognition, has already engaged with the Petro administration, advocating for a dialogue with the government, the USA, and civil society on issues like migration, coca production, and deforestation. Their recent statement also offered to help manage the Darién Gap, a significant concern for US officials due to illegal migration.
President Petro has declared a national disaster in Chocó following flooding and heavy rain this month Petro also canceled his trip to the COP29 summit in Azerbaijan this week, citing the "climate collapse" in Colombia, particularly in the region of Chocó, where 85% of the territory is affected by severe flooding due to continuous rainfall. Heavy rainfall caused landslides, floods, and widespread mobility disruptions. The constant storms have prompted multiple regions to declare public calamity and red alerts. The government announced it would invest 12 billion pesos for risk reduction and infrastructure projects. Other areas, such as La Guajira, Valledupar, Bogotá and Santander are facing significant emergencies, with indigenous communities and rural areas declaring environmental and social crises.
The National Liberation Army (ELN) had restricted movement on the San Juan, Sipí and Cajón rivers in Chocó as part of its armed strike since November 9, despite the flooding in the region. The government delegation had requested the suspension of the strike for humanitarian reasons, highlighting that it prevents the arrival of aid to the communities. A humanitarian corridor opened on Wednesday. The ELN’s armed strike is the third forced confinement in the year, affecting 45,000 people. A meeting between the government and the ELN is expected next week to advance the peace dialogue. The impact of this armed strike on peace talks is expected to be significant.
Cuba 🇨🇺
Interesting developments on the island: the eruption of ‘small protests’ after the island was slammed by two hurricanes in just a few weeks, a four-day long power blackout due to the country’s energy crisis, and a 6.8 magnitude earthquake this Sunday (AP). Once rare protests, although small, seem to be more frequent. Cuban authorities have said they had made arrests and started ‘criminal proceedings’ for ‘assault, disorderly behaviour and damages’, although no figures were provided. Protests are rare - the most violent ones came in July 2021, when food shortages fuelled mass anti-government demonstrations, with around 1,000 people arrested, 700 of whom faced court according to NGOS. Smaller demos took place in October 2022 and in March this year. How much longer can the Cuban government keep a lid over its people?
El Salvador 🇸🇻
El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele is also seeking an IMF deal but faces complications with Trump’s proposed mass deportations that could threaten remittance flows vital to his country’s economy (FT).
Ecuador 🇪🇨
The number of inmates killed in a riot in Ecuador’s largest and most dangerous prison rose to 17, authorities said Wednesday, a day after the goriest prison episode under the watch of President Daniel Noboa broke out (AP). Noboa handed control over the most violent prisons to the military at the start of 2024 after gunmen stormed and opened fire in a TV studio. “The latest killings are bound to agitate the presidential race in the South American country, where the law-and-order incumbent has made improving security at detention facilities and elsewhere a top priority in his bid for another term next year”, adds AP.
Ecuador's Vice President, Veronica Abad, was suspended for 150 days on November 9, due to accusations of "unjustified abandonment" of her duties, deepening a public rift with President Daniel Noboa. The president of Ecuador has tried by all means to prevent Verónica Abad from assuming office when he had to leave it to run for re-election ahead of the February 2025 elections approach (El Pais). Abad's lawyer claims the suspension is legally questionable and part of a broader effort to pressure her resignation. A government critic, Abad denounces political persecution. President Noboa, who does not trust Abad, is seeking to prevent her from interfering in his campaign. “The situation reflects a process of de-institutionalization in Ecuador”, according to analysts cited by El Espectador. “It is a violation of the Constitution. There is no law that allows the suspension of the vice president of the Republic,” says a constitutional lawyer. cited in El Pais, adding “The only way to sanction a vice president is through a political trial, not through an administrative sanction”. Minister Sariha Moya will take over as the new vice president. BBCMundo also has an explainer on Ecuador’s political situation ahead of next February’s elections.
After 50 days of energy rationing and blackouts, President Noboa appointed a new government minister this week, José De La Gasca, replacing Arturo Félix Wong. Noboa promptly dispatched Wong on a special mission to neighbouring Colombia to try and secure additional energy supplies from private suppliers, reports The Guardian. “Energy is our primary priority,” Noboa said. Colombia suspended electricity sales to Ecuador at the start of October amid energy shortages of its own. This has compounded the problems already facing Ecuador, with exceptionally low water levels at hydroelectric dams amid the country’s worst drought in over 60 years. Yet, drought is not the only cause of Ecuador’s energy crisis. It “reflects deeper structural problems within the power sector, with insufficient investment, misguided policy decisions, slow reactions to repeated warnings and a lack of strategies to adapt to extreme weather events” adds The Guardian.
Ecuador’s economy has been severely affected, with small and medium-sized businesses the worst hit. According to the labour ministry, more than 3,500 jobs have been lost due to the blackouts, it is estimated the power cuts have cost Ecuador’s economy at least $2bn (£1.5bn). This setback is another challenge for the Ecuadorian economy which has experienced a sharp decline in economic growth this year while confronting a worsening security crisis.
Since 2017, Ecuador has generated more than 70% of its electricity through hydropower.
Haiti 🇭🇹
Violence between gangs and police in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, has forced thousands of residents to flee their homes, particularly in the Solino neighborhood, which had been one of the few areas not yet controlled by gangs, reports AP. As gang members from the Viv Ansanm coalition clashed with police, families packed their belongings and fled in fear, with some saying they had never witnessed such intense violence in their lifetimes. Since the outbreak of violence on Sunday, over 4,300 people have been displaced, with the situation worsening amid political turmoil following the firing of the interim prime minister. The violence has led to widespread gang control, with estimates suggesting that gangs now dominate 85% of Port-au-Prince. The U.N. has been unable to quell the violence, although it has mobilised humanitarian aid.
Meanwhile, a new interim prime minister was sworn in earlier this week (The Guardian). He has condemned the attacks but has yet to make significant progress in addressing the violence.
The Guardian has a separate report from “the hospital on the frontline of Haiti’s devastating gang war”.
The Latin News podcast this fortnight focuses on the situation in Haiti.
Venezuela 🇻🇪
Caracas Chronicles reveals how the Venezuelan government engaged in a systematic campaign of cyber repression following the July 28 elections, through a network of state-linked Telegram channels and social media. the campaign aimed at targeting opponents of President Nicolás Maduro. The operation, termed Tun Tun (Knock Knock) involved the public exposure of personal information of citizens, activists, and observers deemed as dissenters. Coordinated by state actors and backed by pro-government platforms, this effort led to arbitrary detentions and harassment. The investigation underscores the involvement of various police and governmental bodies and highlights the use of Telegram as a primary tool for disseminating these data, resulting in the persecution of numerous individuals and invoking fear as a form of state control.
Despite Interventions, Venezuela’s Prison Gangs Thrive, write InsightCrime, with recent raids in Venezuela’s prisons, among the world’s most brutal, demonstrating “the government has yet to eliminate criminal control of the penitentiary system”.
Latin America’s economies this week
Poverty levels down across Latin America
Poverty in Latin America has fallen to levels similar to those of 2014, although strong inequality persists. 27.3% of the region's population was living in poverty in 2023 , a 1.5 percentage point drop relative to the previous year, and more than five percentage points down compared to 2020 - the hardest moment of the pandemic - highlighted the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in a new version of its report Social Panorama 2024: challenges of non-contributory social protection to advance towards inclusive social development, presented this Tuesday. Extreme poverty has reached 10.6% in the region in 2023, which represents a drop of 0.5 percentage points compared to the previous year, but is still above the 8.6% recorded a decade ago.
But ECLAC adds that “if the number of people living in poverty in Brazil had not decreased, the regional average in 2023 would have been 28.4%, just 0.4 percentage points less than the previous year, and the incidence of extreme poverty would have remained unchanged at 11.1%”
Panama 🇵🇦
Panama’s drought has severely impacted its economy by limiting canal transit — and has pushed “authorities to adopt strategies to combat the risk of events triggered by the climate crisis: undertaking works to ensure the canal’s continued operation and, simultaneously, investing in sustainable development and adaptation”, writes The Guardian.
The end of Argentina’s recession? 🇦🇷
In an interview for Bloomberg Línea, President Javier Milei declared the end of Argentina's recession, stating the nation is beginning to grow. While certain economic indicators support this claim, economists highlight a more complex and uneven recovery. Although a modest recovery began around mid-year, it’s uneven, with only some sectors, such as mining, energy, and agro-industry, showing consistent growth. These gains are often linked to external factors, like favourable weather, rather than Milei’s policies.
Other sectors focused on the domestic market, including construction, industry, and retail, remain weak, with their recovery hard to sustain. Consumption remains sluggish due to stagnant household incomes and job losses, limiting growth potential. The limited impact of foreign investment, as constrained by local spending requirements, further caps internal market stimulation. While the recession may technically be over, many industries continue to face a depressed economic environment.
Canning House has issued a new report on Mining in Argentina: Implications of New Investment Incentive Regime
Diversifying Colombia’s economy away from fossil fuels 🇨🇴
The FT has a piece on the difficulties Gustavo Petro is facing while weaning its economy off fossil fuels. He stopped issuing new oil drilling and exploration contracts and, in late last year, became the first significant oil and coal producer to sign up to the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation treaty.
Diversifying the economy has proved difficult in a country where oil and coal exports still make up 50% of Colombia’s exports. Although tourism has bounced back and keeps on growing, it remains a long way off generating an income similar to that of fossil fuels.
Organised Crime in the region
Mexico’s changing approach to violence? 🇲🇽
Without a major public announcement, the Sheinbaum government has implemented “a more aggressive posture by Mexico's military and national guard, leading to more gunfights between the government and criminals, more drug seizures and more collateral casualties”, writes
in Latin America Risk Report, adding “the military are engaging in battles in public locations to demonstrate that the state, not the criminal groups, controls the territory”. The question becomes whether “the government can win and establish order in locations, something that would decrease violence, or if the cartels effectively fight back, which would stabilise the elevated levels of violence”.The Querétaro massacre adds fuel to the crisis of violence at the start of the Sheinbaum Government, writes El Pais, adding that the opposition is capitalising on the tragedy that left at least 10 dead and 13 injured to demand results and a change in the security strategy of President Sheinbaum.
In another piece, El Pais reports on the battle between El Mayo and Los Chapitos which has left more than 300 murdered and hundreds disappeared as the Sinaloa Cartel handles its leadership dispute.
Colombia’s Clan del Golfo 🇨🇴
The Clan del Golfo intimidates civil society to whitewash its environmental crimes, writes El Pais, as several reports point to the damage that Colombia's main drug trafficking organisation has inflicted on its forests and rivers. Yet, the armed group insists on positioning itself as an environmental defender in order to engage in dialogue with the Government. Such a dissociation between reality and discourse is part of the peace talks that the Clan has been holding since August with the Government of Gustavo Petro, adds El Pais. In contrast to the ELN guerrilla or the dissidents of the extinct FARC, the State does not recognise the Clan as having any political status based on a long-standing ideology. It sees it as an exclusively criminal organisation, without ideological motivations. This has made it difficult to lift arrest warrants against its leaders and has limited the possibility of judicial benefits, such as not being extradited to the United States. As a result, the incentives for its leaders to negotiate with the government are lower than for groups recognised as having a political character.
The economic impact of crime
The IMF and the IDB have published two studies on the direct costs of crime in the region, where one third of the homicides carried out in the world are concentrated. The direct costs of crime amount to 3.4% of Latin America's GDP, equivalent to 78% of the public budget for education, double the amount allocated to social assistance and 12 times the expenditure on research and development, according to a report by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) released on Monday. The IDB study, The Costs of Crime and Violence: Expansion and Update of Estimates for Latin America and the Caribbean, found that public spending to respond to and prevent crime averaged between 3 and 3.5% of GDP in 17 countries in the region in 2014.
Latin American democracies weakened by crime and violence
Meanwhile, crime and violence weaken credibility in democracy in Latin America, with political and civil leaders calling for greater transnational collaboration to address insecurity and drug and human trafficking in the most violent region on the planet. If in 2017, 56% of the population recognised democracy as the best form of government, in 2023 only 48% did. On the contrary, confidence in an authoritarian system has risen from 12% to 17%, according to Latinobarómetro, an index used to take the pulse of the region's population.
The violence and insecurity that plague the region have led millions of people to flee their countries and seek safer places, most of the time hoping to reach the United States, which has caused a migration crisis. One of the most used routes is the dangerous passage through the Darien jungle. Last year 529,000 people risked their lives to cross it and this year 242,000 have already done so.
Inside El Salvador’s ‘mega prison’
“Mass murderers, drug dealers and gangsters, they are accused of once holding El Salvador hostage, gripping the nation with fear as they ruled cities and streets. Today, they are stripped of freedom, influence, and individuality. And they may never get them back”, reports CNN from El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) — and the men there are known as the “worst of the worst”.
The hard-hearted treatment of men is on full display throughout Cecot. Each of the more than two dozen group cells we see in Sector 4 are built to hold 80 or so inmates. The only furniture is tiered metal bunks, with no sheets, pillows or mattresses. There’s an open toilet, a cement basin and plastic bucket for washing and a large jug for drinking water. The cells are meticulously clean — an intentional and stark contrast to the dingy and squalid prisons of El Salvador’s past.
The men are inside these cells for 23½ hours a day. They do not work. They are not allowed books or a deck of cards or letters from home. Plates of food are stacked outside the cells at mealtimes and pulled through the bars. No meat is ever served. The 30-minute daily respite is merely to leave the cell for the central hallway for group exercise or Bible readings.
Migration
Donald Trump’s administration will “seek to expand the use of the US army to round up and deport undocumented migrants in “targeted operations” from day one of his presidency”, according to an interview Tom Homan, former head of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and recently named Trump’s border czar gave to the Sunday Times last weekend:
“Bottom line: if you’re in the country illegally, you’re not off the table,” he said. “You’ve got to prioritise where you go first, but again, it’s a crime to enter this country illegally.”
He also said he would “move to completely shut down the US southern border, build a wall and restart Trump’s ‘Remain in Mexico programme’ under which migrants waited across the border to have their asylum applications processed”, with those slated for deportation “held in facilities including newly built holding centres, adding that the military’s existing role in transporting them could be expanded to account for the rising number of deportees”. Raids would follow the existing ICE rulebook, he said, and would be targeted in specific locations.
“We’re going to concentrate on the worst of the worst,” he said, describing the start of operations. “It’s going to be a lot different to what the liberal media is saying it’s going to be”
Illegal immigrants in the USA amount to 11-20 million people. The Republicans have a majority in the Senate and the House of Representatives.
More at the Sunday Times.
And finally…
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