Maureen Meyer will be the guest speaker at the next meeting of the Democrats Abroad Lake Chapala Chapter Monday, January 14, 4:30 p.m. at La Bodega Ajijic.
Meyer is the director for Mexico and Migrant Affairs at the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), a leading U.S. non-governmental research and advocacy organization advancing human rights in the Americas. WOLA’s Mexico program focuses on analyzing U.S.-Mexico security policies, addressing organized crime-related violence, corruption, and human rights violations in Mexico. The program also carries out advocacy work on justice for human rights violations in Mexico and helps promote U.S. security assistance to Mexico through the Merida Initiative.
Meyer co-directs WOLA’s work on border security and promotion of greater protections for migrants in transit through Mexico and U.S. borderlands.
She will talk about Mexico’s new President Andres Manuel López Obrador, of the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA), and the significant national challenges he is facing, including widespread violence, human rights abuses, corruption, impunity, and growing income inequality. Her discussion will explore some of the key issues on the bilateral agenda between Mexico and the U.S., and the future of security cooperation and U.S. assistance under the Merida Initiative, which is an aid package that has provided US$2.9 billion in assistance to Mexico in the past decade. She will also cover the role of the U.S. Congress in determining priorities in the bilateral relationship, and prospects for collaboration on addressing both the root causes of migration and support to asylum seekers.
Meyer is also a member of the Mexican-based Collective for Analysis of Security with Democracy. She has extensive experience in addressing human rights, security cooperation, border security and migration issues, and works closely with various human rights and migrant rights organizations and networks in the region.
Chapter members, newcomers to Lakeside and visitors are encouraged to come and learn more about U.S.-Mexico security and border issues. For information on Chapter activities: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..