Heather Sullivan
@hsulli.bsky.social
Political scientist, photography futzer, would rather be climbing
Taking out cartel leaders doesn’t reduce drug flows or violence. The “kingpin strategy” might even make things worse. Read @hsulli.bsky.social's latest on how militarized drug war strategies can backfire: goodauthority.org/news/taking-...
Taking out cartel leaders doesn’t reduce drug flows or violence
Taking out cartel leaders doesn’t reduce drug flows or violence. The “kingpin strategy” might even make things worse.
goodauthority.org
It's hard to believe that this was just last week given what's happened since, but I wrote up a short piece on Mexico killing a major cartel leader for @goodauth.bsky.social
Taking out cartel leaders doesn’t reduce drug flows or violence
Taking out cartel leaders doesn’t reduce drug flows or violence. The “kingpin strategy” might even make things worse.
goodauthority.org
One year into the second Trump administration, ICE agents have become de facto protest managers. In this @goodauth.bsky.social piece, I explain why we should expect their repressive behavior to continue.
Why ICE is responding to protests with repression
Why ICE is responding to protests with repression. ICE’s institutional culture is the problem.
goodauthority.org
This is a great piece - so good I'll probably put in on my Latin America in the World syllabus that I should be working on instead of reading the internet.
Joshua Collins@murosinvisibles.bsky.social · 7mo agoThe Morning After in Venezuela: Perspectives on what comes next from Venezuelans PWS sat down for extended conversations with three close contacts from very different parts of Venezuelan society to ask them their thoughts LATEST for PWS www.piratewireservices.com/p/the-mornin...
The admin is proposing indefinite control of Venezuelan oil, but evidence suggests that Venezuelan cooperation will only extend as far as it‘s coerced - and can’t extend past what the crumbing infrastructure can generate. Meanwhile ordinary Venezuelans continue to suffer. @goodauth.bsky.social
Good Authority@goodauth.bsky.social · 7mo agoRestoring the oil sector – and securing friendlier relations – may prove equally difficult. Here's what to expect in Venezuela, after Maduro. Read from @hsulli.bsky.social: goodauthority.org/news/what-to...
Good piece from @profsaunders.bsky.social on potential U.S. military strikes in Venezuela and the added risks brought about by Trump's inexperienced and highly centralized national security team
Elizabeth N. Saunders@profsaunders.bsky.social · 9mo ago🧵New piece from me @goodauth.bsky.social on risks of striking Venezuela, focused on the added risk from Trump team of loyalists. Hint: it has to do with centralized role of Rubio, the nation's top diplomat, and the incompetence of advisers like SecDef Hegseth. 1/ goodauthority.org/news/trump-m...
Alt-pitch: Trump, the WH, Jafar, the Genie, I love the Capitol...plus all the links! @adambonica.bsky.social @smotus.bsky.social @dcinbox.bsky.social @mirandayaver.bsky.social @hsulli.bsky.social @donmoyn.bsky.social and more goodpoliticsbadpolitics.substack.com/p/trumps-att...
Trump's Attack on the White House
The Disney villain he resembles. Plus all the links.
goodpoliticsbadpolitics.substack.com
Wrote about the wave of U.S. strikes on boats in the Caribbean. Alarmed that possibly the best explanation for the attacks is that the administration thinks it's acting out the movie Sicario. The movie was good imho, but not a model of normatively or strategically good policy. @goodauth.bsky.social
Trump’s attacks on Venezuela won’t even serve Trump’s stated goals
The attacks won’t stop the drug trade – or bring about a friendlier regime.
goodauthority.org
Panamanians have been engaging in mass protest in the face of repression since April. Lessons about protest can come from everywhere. @goodauth.bsky.social @bridgingthegap.bsky.social
What’s behind Panama’s mass protests?
The government has failed to address the broad range of grievances bringing people out on the streets.
goodauthority.org
Couldn’t figure out why 2 articles on the Honduran charter city Próspera recently came out in big msm sources. Then realized it’s because there’s a push from proponents to get “Freedom Cities” in the U.S. Read about Honduras’s experience with charter cities in my piece for @goodauth.bsky.social
You want to live in a Freedom City? Take a closer look at Honduras.
Próspera offers a cautionary tale on deregulation and charter cities.
goodauthority.org
Why go after a group that's not a threat? Gang members in strong organized criminal groups are relatively hard to catch. They hide and fight back. But rounding up Venezuelans who have TPS or other legal status - i.e. people in the system living ordinary law-abiding lives - well, that's easy.
Joshua Collins@murosinvisibles.bsky.social · last yr.Urban Legends and a media-ecosphere: How the "Tren de Aragua's" infamy grew across the Americas Dishonest politicians, paranoia, xenophobia, and a lack of real research have affected even well-meaning commentators
We have quite simply criminalized being Venezuelan. The whole 🧵 is worth a read.
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick@reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · last yr.With this checklist, ICE can declare any Venezuelan an "Alien Enemy" without ANY concrete evidence -- based solely on an ICE officer's interpretation of tattoos and hand signs which may be completely innocent or the bad luck of having a roommate ICE thinks is TDA. This is why due process matters!
Wrote about the US sending Venezuelans to a notorious prison in El Salvador. Many innocent people sent to a foreign prison based on the dubious claim of membership in a gang that barely exists in the US and isn't a threat to national security. It should anger and scare us all. @goodauth.bsky.social
Venezuelans sent to El Salvador jail aren't gang members.
The Trump administration flew Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador, calling them gang members. Without any trial, they're now in prison.
goodauthority.org
If you're just learning about the Bolsonaro news, I strongly recommend reading @hsulli.bsky.social & @edebruin.bsky.social's piece in @goodauth.bsky.social that details the steps Bolsonaro and his allies took to prepare for losing the 2022 presidential election. goodauthority.org/news/brazil-...
The investigation into Brazil's coup plot continues.
Brazil's election coup plot was well planned by Jair Bolsonaro and his allies, a police report finds. Was Brazil's democracy at risk?
goodauthority.org
Phil Lewis@phillewis.bsky.social · last yr.RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil former leader Bolsonaro knew and agreed to a plan to poison President Lula, top prosecutor says.
What does it look like when you erode checks and balances, manage your bureaucracy in a discretionary way, personalize power, and crack down on autonomous groups? Nicaragua gives us an example and it's...not great. @goodauth.bsky.social
In Nicaragua, the constitution gives Pres. Ortega more power.
Nicaragua's constitutional revisions have now entrenched the political power of President Daniel Ortega and his wife, VP Rosario Murillo.
goodauthority.org
Since I wrote this, Trump/Musk shuttered USAID hindering Colombia’s ability to support rural areas. Then Petro said cocaine should be legal, it's no worse than whiskey. Pro tip: if you want to stop drugs, don’t cut off aid - and don't destabilize legal economies with tariffs. @goodauth.bsky.social
The new violence that threatens Colombia's peace plan.
Colombia’s armed groups have put the peace plan in jeopardy by abusing the ceasefire agreements to expand their power.
goodauthority.org
Sabbatical means I could freeze with the elder activists in the middle of a workday
On the anniversary of the attempted coup in Brazil, @edebruin.bsky.social and I wrote about the coup plot, the continuing efforts to bring transparency and accountability, and how Brazil compares to countries across the globe. @goodauth.bsky.social
The investigation into Brazil's coup plot continues.
Brazil's election coup plot was well planned by Jair Bolsonaro and his allies, a police report finds. Was Brazil's democracy at risk?
goodauthority.org
Check out Juan's great explainer about Uruguay's recent elections and contemporary political challenges! goodauthority.org/news/what-ur...
Uruguay's 2024 elections resulted in a fragmented parliament.
Security, education, and economic sustainability are key challenges for Uruguay's next government to address.
goodauthority.org
Juan A. Bogliaccini@juanbogliaccini.bsky.social · 2y agoIn this post, I explain the main challenges Uruguay faces in the next 5 years 👇🏼
Don't think I've ever made a list before, I feel kind of famous. @goodauth.bsky.social
Jonathan Bernstein@jonathanbernstein.bsky.social · 2y agoRe-upping: In this week's links, @hsulli.bsky.social @mirandayaver.bsky.social @mattgrossmann.bsky.social @dandrezner.bsky.social @nataliej.bsky.social and @smotus.bsky.social. For everyone! Plus audio for our paid subscribers. goodpoliticsbadpolitics.substack.com/p/never-a-du...
While politicians are dehumanizing immigrants from the Americas, they are also leaning on leaders from the very same countries to carry out U.S. immigration policy
Good Authority@goodauth.bsky.social · 2y agoThe U.S. relies on countries south of the border for immigration enforcement. So how do U.S. migration policies shift the burden to Latin America? Read: goodauthority.org/news/u-s-mig...
Before the Venezuelan election on Sunday, was hoping I would get to write a piece on the complexities of democratic transitions for @goodauth.bsky.social, but instead here are my reflections on Maduro's authoritarian management of the electoral game. Protest and repression continue in Venezuela.
Maduro's disputed win in Venezuela's election sparks widespread unrest
Political science helps explain why autocrats like Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela hold elections they have little chance of winning.
goodauthority.org
Chiquita has had a big impact on politics across much of Latin America. They were recently found liable for killings carried out by a Colombian paramilitary group that the company funded from the 1990s-2000s. I wrote about the case and Chiquita's history in Colombia for @goodauth.bsky.social
Chiquita and the long, dark history of conducting business in weak states
A U.S. jury found Chiquita liable for killings in Colombia – after Chiquita made payments to armed groups.
goodauthority.org
Woke up to an article on the escalation of electoral violence in Mexico yesterday, the last day of campaigning before the general election on Sunday. Haven't been following what's going on in Mexico? Check out the short piece I wrote for @goodauth.bsky.social goodauthority.org/news/mexico-...
Mexico’s next president – and AMLO’s legacy
What do we know about Mexico's next president, and AMLO's legacy?
goodauthority.org
ICYMI: What we’re reading this Mother’s Day weekend. Here's a crowd-sourced list of scholarly works on politics and motherhood. Find them here: goodauthority.org/news/motherh...
What we’re reading this Mother’s Day weekend
This Mother's Day weekend, here's what to read in political science about mothers, motherhood, and politics.
goodauthority.org
Check out @dadakim.bsky.social's round up on moms and politics - in it, I provide solid evidence that nothing goes better with Mother's Day pancakes than taking to the streets to stand up for your values. goodauthority.org/news/motherh...
What we’re reading this Mother’s Day weekend
This Mother's Day weekend, here's what to read in political science about mothers, motherhood, and politics.
goodauthority.org
Have not been able to get some of the images of riot police on college campuses out of my head this week, so wrote a short piece on the broader use of riot police to manage protest for @goodauth.bsky.social
Good Authority@goodauth.bsky.social · 2y agoIn recent years, authorities have rolled back policies designed to manage protests peacefully, and now, using riot police to break up peaceful protest is becoming common. Heather Sullivan discusses these regulations, separations, and crack downs. Read: goodauthority.org/news/using-r...
Stoke is high to be part of this awesome team!
Good Authority@goodauth.bsky.social · 2y agoWelcome the Good Authority fellows! Meet our six new fellows, sharing insights from Black politics to labor issues to immigration, and offering more coverage and analysis on important events in Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. Read about them here: goodauthority.org/news/welcome...
