September 5, 2020
THE TRUMP BRAND:
How Donald Trump Helped Kneecap the Robert Mueller of Latin America: Two television stars-turned-presidents pledged to drain the swamp. Then they joined forces to kill a powerful anti-corruption commission in Guatemala. (Aaron Glantz & Anayansi Diaz-Cortes, Sep. 05, 2020, Daily Beast)
"Look what happened in reality. It's a transaction where both parties seek to win something," Velásquez told Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting. "You help us by ending this persecution ... and we will help you."Like the alleged Ukraine quid pro quo that sparked Trump's impeachment last year, the details can appear confusing-but ultimately, Velásquez says, the exchange was simple: Trump withdrew U.S. support for an international anti-corruption force that was investigating Morales and his family. Morales offered Guatemala's material support for policies at the heart of Trump's re-election bid.Velásquez's anti-corruption force "was a bargaining chip," a senior policy adviser in the State Department told Reveal.
Posted by Orrin Judd at September 5, 2020 11:31 AM