Tuesday SITREP: Americas Focus

Thailand Accuses Cambodia of Ceasefire Breach, “Worst Case” Famine in Gaza: UN

Author

Andrew Sheves
July 29, 2025 • Time to Enlightenment...6 minutes

Good morning,

🇹🇭 🇰🇭 Thailand Accuses Cambodia of Ceasefire Breach

Thailand accused Cambodia of violating a hours-old ceasefire just after it took effect at midnight Tuesday, though Cambodia said there were "no armed clashes" since the truce began following intense fighting up to the deadline. The ceasefire followed escalating border conflict that began in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed, intensifying last week after five Thai soldiers were injured by a landmine and Cambodia fired rockets into Thailand killing civilians. The truce was brokered by Malaysia after Trump threatened to halt tariff negotiations until the Southeast Asian neighbors stopped fighting, with both sides agreeing to pull back armies and accept independent monitoring.

🇵🇸 “Worst Case” Famine in Gaza: UN

The UN’s Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) issued a warning that the “Worst-case scenario of Famine unfolding in the Gaza Strip”

The worst-case scenario of Famine is currently playing out in the Gaza Strip. Conflict and displacement have intensified, and access to food and other essential items and services has plummeted to unprecedented levels.

Mounting evidence shows that widespread starvation, malnutrition, and disease are driving a rise in hunger-related deaths. Latest data indicates that Famine thresholds have been reached for food consumption in most of the Gaza Strip and for acute malnutrition in Gaza City.

Malnutrition has been rising rapidly in the first half of July. Over 20,000 children have been admitted for treatment for acute malnutrition between April and mid-July, with more than 3,000 severely malnourished. Hospitals have reported a rapid increase in hunger-related deaths of children under five years of age, with at least 16 reported deaths since 17 July.

Immediate action must be taken to end the hostilities and allow for unimpeded, large-scale, life-saving humanitarian response. This is the only path to stopping further deaths and catastrophic human suffering.

IPC

Comment. This puts Gaza into the same food insecurity category as Darfur and the conflict regions of South Sudan: two other conflicts where deliberate food restrictions are being used as a weapon.

Americas Stability Ratings and News Summary

More Unstable

🇦🇷 Argentina, 🇧🇿 Belize, 🇧🇴 Bolivia, 🇧🇷 Brazil, 🇨🇦 Canada, 🇨🇴 Colombia, 🇨🇺 Cuba, 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic, 🇪🇨 Ecuador, 🇸🇻 El Salvador, 🇬🇹 Guatemala, 🇭🇹 Haiti, 🇭🇳 Honduras, 🇯🇲 Jamaica, 🇲🇽 Mexico, 🇳🇮 Nicaragua, 🇱🇨 Saint Lucia, 🇸🇷 Suriname, 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago, 🇺🇸 United States Of America, 🇻🇪 Venezuela

More Stable

No countries were more stable over this period

Unchanged

🇦🇬 Antigua and Barbuda, 🇧🇧 Barbados, 🇨🇱 Chile, 🇨🇷 Costa Rica, 🇩🇲 Dominica, 🇬🇩 Grenada, 🇬🇾 Guyana, 🇵🇦 Panama, 🇵🇾 Paraguay, 🇵🇪 Peru, 🇰🇳 Saint Kitts and Nevis, 🇻🇨 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, 🇧🇸 The Bahamas, 🇺🇾 Uruguay

Regional News Summary

Brazil is currently facing significant economic challenges due to tariff threats from the United States, which could result in losses exceeding R$175 billion, according to a study by Fiemg. U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham has indicated that heavy tariffs will be imposed on countries purchasing Russian oil, including Brazil, India, and China. This has already impacted specific sectors, notably tilapia shipments from Brazil, which have been grounded due to these tariffs [SOURCE - Rio Times].

In response, Brazil is actively seeking to strengthen its trade relationships with other nations. Plans to import avocados from Mexico aim to unlock a market of over 200 million consumers. Additionally, Brazil and Mexico are collaborating to mitigate the effects of U.S. tariffs, while São Paulo is taking measures to protect its exporters from the financial fallout [SOURCE - Mexico News Daily].

Beyond trade, Brazil is grappling with rising domestic violence, highlighted by record-high femicide rates [SOURCE - Rio Times]. The country is also set to join South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, reflecting its growing international engagement [SOURCE - Algemeiner].

In Mexico, the economy is under strain as the government invests billions into the state-owned oil company Pemex, while simultaneously facing the looming threat of a 30% tariff on goods exported to the U.S. This uncertainty is freezing investments along the U.S. border, exacerbating economic concerns [SOURCE - Rio Times]. The Trump administration's new tariffs on Mexico and the EU have raised alarms about the potential impact on trade relations [SOURCE - Activist Post].

In a troubling development, drug traffickers have reportedly taken control of health centers in parts of Mexico, raising serious concerns about the country's healthcare system [SOURCE - NBC News]. However, there have been some positive developments, including the dismantling of a cartel-linked extortion ring by Mexican authorities, which resulted in the seizure of exotic animals and luxury cars [SOURCE - CBS News].

In the broader context of the Americas, the U.S. has withdrawn from UNESCO for the second time, citing concerns over the organization's bias against Israel. This withdrawal is part of a larger trend of the U.S. pulling out of international organizations to prioritize national interests [SOURCE - One America News Network]. Meanwhile, the U.S. birth rate has fallen to its lowest level on record, raising concerns about long-term economic growth and social security [SOURCE - SHTF Plan].

In Argentina, the economy is showing signs of recovery, with a reported 6.1% growth rate in early 2025. However, the International Monetary Fund has urged the country to bolster its low reserves to sustain this growth [SOURCE - Rio Times]. The country has also seen a significant increase in beef exports to the U.S., contrasting sharply with Brazil's plummeting exports [SOURCE - Rio Times].

Carpe tomorrow!