WEATHER ALERT
Medellin Cartel victims demand truth and justice as cartel boss Fabio Ochoa walks free in Colombia
Read full article: Medellin Cartel victims demand truth and justice as cartel boss Fabio Ochoa walks free in ColombiaThe return of the notorious drug trafficker Fabio Ochoa to Colombia, following his deportation from the United States, has reopened old wounds among the victims of the Medellin cartel, with some expressing their dismay at the decision of Colombian authorities to let the former mafia boss walk free.
In Colombia, Amazon River's extreme drought falls hard on Indigenous communities
Read full article: In Colombia, Amazon River's extreme drought falls hard on Indigenous communitiesThe severe drought of the Amazon River has caused Indigenous communities who live beside it to struggle for food, water and simply getting from one place to another.
Colombian electoral authorities open investigation against President Petro's 2022 campaign
Read full article: Colombian electoral authorities open investigation against President Petro's 2022 campaignElectoral authorities in Colombia have ruled in favor of investigating financial misconduct allegations against the 2022 campaign that got President Gustavo Petro elected.
Colombia suspends peace talks with ELN rebel group after a deadly attack on the military
Read full article: Colombia suspends peace talks with ELN rebel group after a deadly attack on the militaryColombia has suspended peace talks with the National Liberation Army, or ELN, after blaming the rebel group for an attack that killed two soldiers and injured more than 20.
Colombia's president says attack on army base 'practically ends' peace talks with ELN rebels
Read full article: Colombia's president says attack on army base 'practically ends' peace talks with ELN rebelsAn attack on a military base in eastern Colombia killed two soldiers and injured at least 21, Colombia’s military says, as tensions escalate between Colombia’s government and one of the nation’s largest remaining rebel groups.
Cocaine trade in the rugged Micay Canyon threatens Colombia's peace efforts
Read full article: Cocaine trade in the rugged Micay Canyon threatens Colombia's peace effortsIn the rugged Micay Canyon of southwestern Colombia, rebel groups have beefed up their presence over the past two years despite efforts by Colombian President Gustavo Petro to negotiate peace deals with these irregular armies under a strategy known as total peace.
Flights returning to normal in Colombia as jet fuel shortage is resolved
Read full article: Flights returning to normal in Colombia as jet fuel shortage is resolvedThe Colombian airlines Avianca and Latam Colombia say they will operate most of their flights Tuesday and resume full schedules Wednesday, after warning earlier Monday that they would have to cancel dozens of flights due to shortages of jet fuel.
Colombian soccer official Ramón Jesurún has charges from Copa America arrest dropped
Read full article: Colombian soccer official Ramón Jesurún has charges from Copa America arrest droppedRamón Jesurún had charges of battering a security guard at the Copa America final dropped more than a month after the Colombian soccer federation president and his son were arrested at the match where hundreds of fans forced their way into Hard Rock Stadium.
Prince Harry and Meghan arrive in Colombia to promote mental health and combat cyberbullying
Read full article: Prince Harry and Meghan arrive in Colombia to promote mental health and combat cyberbullyingPrince Harry and his wife Meghan have arrived in Colombia, where they will participate in several events promoting mental health for young people and how to combat cyberbullying, one of the couple’s latest philanthropic causes.
Brazil, Colombia and Mexico in talks with Venezuelan government and opposition on election crisis
Read full article: Brazil, Colombia and Mexico in talks with Venezuelan government and opposition on election crisisA senior Mexican official says that since Venezuela’s disputed presidential election nine days ago, officials from Brazil, Colombia and Mexico are in constant contact with representatives of both Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and opposition candidate Edmundo González, seeking a solution to the country’s political crisis.
Colombia's congress considers ban on Pablo Escobar souvenirs
Read full article: Colombia's congress considers ban on Pablo Escobar souvenirsSouvenirs depicting the late Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar could be banned in Colombia if legislators approve a bill introduced this week in the nation’s congress.
Senate candidate Bernie Moreno campaigns as an outsider. His wealthy family is politically connected
Read full article: Senate candidate Bernie Moreno campaigns as an outsider. His wealthy family is politically connectedRepublican Senate candidate Bernie Moreno of Ohio likes to portray himself as a political outsider in his race against Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown.
Colombia's president signs bill to ban bullfighting in the South American country
Read full article: Colombia's president signs bill to ban bullfighting in the South American countryColombia's president has signed a bill that bans bullfights in the South American country, further reducing the short list of nations around the world where the centuries-old tradition is still legal.
Uruguay players defend decision to enter crowd to protect families amid Copa America brawl
Read full article: Uruguay players defend decision to enter crowd to protect families amid Copa America brawlUruguay striker Luis Suárez defended his teammates’ decision to enter the stands following a 1-0 loss to Colombia in the Copa America semifinals, saying the action was necessary to defend families and supporters.
James Rodríguez is enjoying a stunning revival with Colombia at Copa América
Read full article: James Rodríguez is enjoying a stunning revival with Colombia at Copa AméricaAfter a subpar performance with Sao Paulo in Brazil, Colombia's chances at Copa America appeared not to rest with James Rodriguez but with Liverpool winger Luis Diaz.
The collapse of a cable car in Colombia kills 1 person and injures 20
Read full article: The collapse of a cable car in Colombia kills 1 person and injures 20Officials in Colombia say at least one person has been killed and 20 were injured when a cable car in the city of Medellin failed and plunged onto a sidewalk next to a station platform.
Spanish prosecutors recommend 2nd investigation into Shakira's taxes be thrown out
Read full article: Spanish prosecutors recommend 2nd investigation into Shakira's taxes be thrown outSpanish state prosecutors have recommended that an investigating judge shelve a probe into another alleged case of tax fraud by pop star Shakira.
FBI lays out detailed case against Florida man accused in wife's disappearance in Spain
Read full article: FBI lays out detailed case against Florida man accused in wife's disappearance in SpainThe FBI has laid out a detailed case showing why agents believe a Florida man is behind his estranged wife's disappearance in Spain, but gave no indication about what they believe happened to her.
Colombia breaks diplomatic ties with Israel but its military relies on key Israeli-built equipment
Read full article: Colombia breaks diplomatic ties with Israel but its military relies on key Israeli-built equipmentColombia has become the latest Latin American country to announce it will break diplomatic relations with Israel over its military campaign in Gaza.
Venezuelans living abroad want to vote for president this year but can't meet absentee requirements
Read full article: Venezuelans living abroad want to vote for president this year but can't meet absentee requirementsMore than half of the estimated 7.7 million Venezuelans who have left their homeland during the complex crisis that has marked Nicolás Maduro’s 11-year presidency are estimated to be registered to vote in Venezuela.
Panama and Colombia fail to protect migrants on Darien jungle route, Human Rights Watch says
Read full article: Panama and Colombia fail to protect migrants on Darien jungle route, Human Rights Watch saysHuman Rights Watch says Colombia and Panama are failing to protect the hundreds of thousands of migrants who cross the Darien jungle on their way to the United States and have become increasingly exposed to robberies and sexual violence.
Colombia threatens to break ties with Israel if it doesn't comply with a UN cease-fire resolution
Read full article: Colombia threatens to break ties with Israel if it doesn't comply with a UN cease-fire resolutionColombian President Gustavo Petro has threatened to break off diplomatic ties with Israel if the country doesn't comply with a U.N. Security Council resolution that calls for an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.
Colombia suspends ceasefire with faction of ex-FARC rebels following attack on Indigenous community
Read full article: Colombia suspends ceasefire with faction of ex-FARC rebels following attack on Indigenous communityColombian President Gustavo Petro has suspended a ceasefire with one of the handful of armed groups with which he hoped to negotiate peace accords.
Transit of migrants through the Darien Gap resumes as Colombian boat companies end work stoppage
Read full article: Transit of migrants through the Darien Gap resumes as Colombian boat companies end work stoppageMigrants bound for the U.S. are once again crossing the Darien Gap in large numbers after being stranded for much of last week in a small Colombian town due to a work stoppage by local boat captains.
US shakes off shocking loss, advances to Women's Gold Cup semis with a 3-0 win over Colombia
Read full article: US shakes off shocking loss, advances to Women's Gold Cup semis with a 3-0 win over ColombiaThe U.S. national team rebounded from its loss to Mexico with a 3-0 victory over Colombia to advance to the semifinals of the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup.
Migration through the Darien Gap is cut off following the capture of boat captains in Colombia
Read full article: Migration through the Darien Gap is cut off following the capture of boat captains in ColombiaThe flow of thousands of migrants daily through the treacherous migratory highway, the Darien Gap, has been cut off following the capture of a number of boat captains who had been ferrying the migrants to the starting point of their jungle trek.
Slayings of tourists and Colombian women expose the dark side of Medellin's tourism boom
Read full article: Slayings of tourists and Colombian women expose the dark side of Medellin's tourism boomA sharp dip in violence in Colombia's second-biggest city has attracted a flood of tourists to Medellin's vivid colors, busy cafes and booming nightlife.
Colombia extends cease-fire with National Liberation Army as rebels promise to stop kidnappings
Read full article: Colombia extends cease-fire with National Liberation Army as rebels promise to stop kidnappingsColombia’s government and the nation’s largest remaining guerrilla group have reached a last-minute deal to extend a cease-fire that began last year by six months.
Piedad Cordoba, an outspoken leftist who straddled Colombia's ideological divide, dies at age 68
Read full article: Piedad Cordoba, an outspoken leftist who straddled Colombia's ideological divide, dies at age 68Piedad Córdoba, an outspoken Colombian lawmaker who for decades championed the rights of her fellow Afro-Colombians while undertaking huge risks as a go-between to leftist rebel groups, has died.
Former Colombian soldier pleads guilty in 2021 assassination of Haiti’s president
Read full article: Former Colombian soldier pleads guilty in 2021 assassination of Haiti’s presidentA former Colombian soldier has pleaded guilty to conspiring in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, which plunged the Caribbean nation into violence and political turmoil.
South Africa, Colombia and others are fighting drugmakers over access to TB and HIV drugs
Read full article: South Africa, Colombia and others are fighting drugmakers over access to TB and HIV drugsIn a series of moves experts say signal a shift in how developing countries deal with pharmaceuticals, South Africa, Colombia and others have recently adopted a more combative approach towards drugmakers, pushing back on policies that deny treatment to millions of people with tuberculosis and HIV.
Pop star Shakira reaches a deal with Spanish prosecutors on the first day of tax fraud trial
Read full article: Pop star Shakira reaches a deal with Spanish prosecutors on the first day of tax fraud trialPop star Shakira has agreed to a deal with Spanish authorities on the first day of a tax fraud trial in Barcelona, avoiding the risk of a prison sentence.
Luis Diaz sends a message for his kidnapped father after scoring for Liverpool
Read full article: Luis Diaz sends a message for his kidnapped father after scoring for LiverpoolLuis Diaz lifted his Liverpool jersey to reveal a T-shirt with the words “Libertad Para Papa” (“Freedom for Papa”) after scoring a late equalizer in his first appearance for the team since his parents were kidnapped in his native Colombia.
Colombia's government says ELN guerrillas kidnapped the father of Liverpool striker Luis Díaz
Read full article: Colombia's government says ELN guerrillas kidnapped the father of Liverpool striker Luis DíazColombia’s government says the guerrilla group National Liberation Army, known as ELN, has kidnapped the father of Liverpool and Colombian national soccerteam striker Luis Díaz.
Retired Colombian army officer gets life sentence in 2021 assassination of Haiti's president
Read full article: Retired Colombian army officer gets life sentence in 2021 assassination of Haiti's presidentA federal judge in Miami has sentenced a retired Colombian army officer to life in prison for his role in plotting to kill Haiti’s President Jovenel Moïse in 2021.
Colombian president's statements on Gaza jeopardize close military ties with Israel
Read full article: Colombian president's statements on Gaza jeopardize close military ties with IsraelEscalating tensions between Colombia and Israel over the Gaza war could undo decades of close military ties between them.
Israel suspends military exports to Colombia over its president's criticism of Gaza siege
Read full article: Israel suspends military exports to Colombia over its president's criticism of Gaza siegeIsrael has suspended security exports to Colombia in an escalating diplomatic spat over online messages by Colombia’s president comparing Israel’s siege of Gaza to the actions of Nazi Germany.
Migrants pass quickly through once impenetrable Darien jungle as governments scramble for answers
Read full article: Migrants pass quickly through once impenetrable Darien jungle as governments scramble for answersRain-swollen rivers only briefly slowed the otherwise uninterrupted flow of migrants through this jungle-covered border of Colombia and Panama and by midweek another 2,000 bedraggled migrants stumbled out of the Darien jungle.
Colombia's government issues long awaited apology for extrajudicial killings during armed conflict
Read full article: Colombia's government issues long awaited apology for extrajudicial killings during armed conflictColombia’s government has issued a long awaited public apology for the extrajudicial killings of 19 civilians who were slain by the military and registered as rebel fighters during one of the most violent periods of the nation’s civil war.
Spain charges pop singer Shakira with tax evasion for a second time and demands more than $7 million
Read full article: Spain charges pop singer Shakira with tax evasion for a second time and demands more than $7 millionSpanish prosecutors have charged pop star Shakira with failing to pay 6.7 million euros ($7.1 million) in tax on her 2018 income, in Spain’s latest fiscal allegations against the Colombian singer.
Colombia's presidential office manipulates video of President Petro at UN to hype applause
Read full article: Colombia's presidential office manipulates video of President Petro at UN to hype applauseThe Colombian government manipulated a video to alter the applause received by President Gustavo Petro received during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Panama eyes new measures as flow of migrants through Darien Gap hits 300,000 so far this year
Read full article: Panama eyes new measures as flow of migrants through Darien Gap hits 300,000 so far this yearThe government of Panama says it will launch a new campaign to stem the flow of migrants through the dangerous, jungle-clad Darien Gap, after crossings hit 300,000 so far this year.
Carlos Vives and Juanes combine forces for ‘Las Mujeres,’ linking 3 generations to Colombian classic
Read full article: Carlos Vives and Juanes combine forces for ‘Las Mujeres,’ linking 3 generations to Colombian classicColombian superstars Carlos Vives and Juanes have teamed up on a song for the first time, ever, to remake the Carlos Huertas’ vallenato classic, “Las Mujeres.”.
Once Colombia's most-wanted drug lord, the kingpin known as Otoniel gets 45 years in prison in US
Read full article: Once Colombia's most-wanted drug lord, the kingpin known as Otoniel gets 45 years in prison in USA Colombian man once seen as one of the world’s most dangerous drug lords has been sentenced to 45 years in prison in the U.S. Dairo Antonio Úsuga — known as Otoniel — was sentenced Tuesday in a federal court in New York.
Nearly 250,000 migrants crossed Panama's Darien Gap so far this year, more than in all of 2022
Read full article: Nearly 250,000 migrants crossed Panama's Darien Gap so far this year, more than in all of 2022The number of migrants crossing Panama's dangerous, jungle-clad Darien Gap has swelled to almost 250,000 in the first seven months of 2023, surpassing the number that crossed in all of 2022.
Son of Colombia's president arrested as part of money laundering probe
Read full article: Son of Colombia's president arrested as part of money laundering probePolice have arrested the son of Colombia’s president as part of a high-profile money laundering probe into funds he allegedly collected during last year’s presidential campaign.
Biden administration suspends satellite monitoring of Colombian coca crops as cocaine surges
Read full article: Biden administration suspends satellite monitoring of Colombian coca crops as cocaine surgesThe Biden administration has quietly suspended satellite monitoring of coca crops in Colombia amid a surge of cocaine flowing into the U.S. from South America.
Thousands take to the streets in Colombia to protest leftist government's reforms
Read full article: Thousands take to the streets in Colombia to protest leftist government's reformsThousands of people are marching in Colombia to voice their frustration with President Gustavo Petro’s government and its attempts to make sweeping changes to the nation’s health and pension systems, and its labor laws.
Germany hands over 2 Indigenous masks to Colombia as it reappraises the past
Read full article: Germany hands over 2 Indigenous masks to Colombia as it reappraises the pastGermany has handed over to Colombia two masks made by the Indigenous Kogi people that had been in a Berlin museum’s collection for more than a century.
Cassava flour and fruit kept 4 children alive for 40 days after plane crash in Colombia's jungle
Read full article: Cassava flour and fruit kept 4 children alive for 40 days after plane crash in Colombia's jungleFour Indigenous children have survived an Amazon plane crash that killed three adults and then braved the jungle for 40 days before being found alive by Colombian soldiers, bringing a happy ending to a search-and-rescue saga that captivated a nation and forced the usually opposing military and Native people to work together.
Colombian rebel leader says peace talks are 'on pause'
Read full article: Colombian rebel leader says peace talks are 'on pause'Colombian rebel leader Pablo Beltran says peace talks between his National Liberation Army and the government have been put “on pause” due to remarks made last week by President Gustavo Petro.
Migrants flow north to US border ahead of policy changes
Read full article: Migrants flow north to US border ahead of policy changesDespite a dissuasion campaign by the U.S. government, migrants are headed toward its southern border in growing numbers ahead of the end of pandemic-era asylum restrictions and proposed new restrictions on those seeking asylum.
Spain expresses backing for Colombia peace plan
Read full article: Spain expresses backing for Colombia peace planSpanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has given his full backing to Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s peace plan aimed at reaching a cease-fire with National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla organization.
Venezuela's Juan Guaidó not seeking political asylum in US
Read full article: Venezuela's Juan Guaidó not seeking political asylum in USVenezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó says he is not seeking political asylum in the United States and has not ruled out the posibility of running in a presidential primary planned for October.
US would support Colombian, Panama forces to slow migration
Read full article: US would support Colombian, Panama forces to slow migrationUnited States forces will assist their Colombian and Panamanian counterparts with intelligence gathering to dismantle smuggling rings operating in the dense jungle of the Darien Gap.
US, Panama and Colombia aim to stop Darien Gap migration
Read full article: US, Panama and Colombia aim to stop Darien Gap migrationThe United States, Panama and Colombia will launch a 60-day campaign aimed at halting illegal migration through the treacherous Darien Gap, where the flow of migrants has multiplied this year.
Colombia proposes shipping invasive hippos to India, Mexico
Read full article: Colombia proposes shipping invasive hippos to India, MexicoColombia is proposing transferring at least 70 hippopotamuses that live near Pablo Escobar’s former ranch to India and Mexico as part of a plan to control their population.
Colombia's once most-wanted drug lord pleads guilty in US
Read full article: Colombia's once most-wanted drug lord pleads guilty in USA Colombian man who was once one of the world’s most-wanted drug lords has pleaded guilty to U.S. smuggling charges and admitted that he led a violent cocaine cartel and paramilitary group.
Colombia, Venezuela open key binational bridge as ties warm
Read full article: Colombia, Venezuela open key binational bridge as ties warmColombia and Venezuela are opening a key bridge linking the countries that had been closed for almost seven years amid political tensions, launching a new era of improved relations under Colombia’s new leftist president.
Venezuela's Maduro to fully open border with Colombia
Read full article: Venezuela's Maduro to fully open border with ColombiaVenezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has announced his intention to fully open the border crossings with Colombia starting Jan. 1, a measure repeatedly postponed following the restoration of diplomatic and commercial ties between the South American neighbors.
Colombia asks for legal status for its people already in US
Read full article: Colombia asks for legal status for its people already in USColombia wants the Biden administration to grant temporary legal status to its citizens now living in the United States, noting its own efforts to address regional migration by hosting 2 million Venezuelans who fled their homes.
FC Barcelona star Gerard Piqué announces retirement, five months after split from Shakira
Read full article: FC Barcelona star Gerard Piqué announces retirement, five months after split from ShakiraFC Barcelona soccer star Gerard Piqué announced his retirement on social media Thursday at the age of 35.
Hurricane Julia near Nicaragua after lashing Colombia island
Read full article: Hurricane Julia near Nicaragua after lashing Colombia islandHurricane Julia is closing in on Nicaragua’s central Caribbean coast after lashing Colombia’s San Andres island in a near pass soon after strengthening from a tropical storm.
Colombian rebels say they freed 6 soldiers ahead of talks
Read full article: Colombian rebels say they freed 6 soldiers ahead of talksA Colombian guerrilla group says it has freed six captive soldiers in a goodwill gesture ahead of planned peace talks with the government of new President Gustavo Petro.
Ex-rebel takes oath as Colombian president in historic shift
Read full article: Ex-rebel takes oath as Colombian president in historic shiftColombia’s first leftist president has been sworn into office, promising to fight inequality and bring peace to a country long haunted by bloody feuds between the government, drug traffickers and rebel groups.
Colombia: President-elect looks to build governing coalition
Read full article: Colombia: President-elect looks to build governing coalitionPresident-elect Gustavo Petro, who has vowed to lift up Colombia’s poor and disenfranchised, has won the support of an influential party of the establishment as he tries to build a majority coalition in Congress.
Former Colombian rebel leaders recognize role in kidnappings
Read full article: Former Colombian rebel leaders recognize role in kidnappingsA group of former leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, say the guerrilla organization was responsible for war crimes, including the kidnapping of thousands of civilians for ransom and also holding politicians as hostages for several years in the hopes of exchanging them for imprisoned rebels.
Letters sent to García Márquez to be shown in Mexico City
Read full article: Letters sent to García Márquez to be shown in Mexico CityWhile reviewing the photo archives left by Nobel Prize-winning Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez, one of his granddaughters came across a mysterious plastic box with the word “grandchildren” written on its label.
Italy seizes 4 tons of cocaine linked to Colombian Gulf Clan
Read full article: Italy seizes 4 tons of cocaine linked to Colombian Gulf ClanItalian agents have confiscated 4.3 tons of cocaine with a street value of nearly a quarter-billion euros (dollars) in the northeastern port city of Trieste, dealing a blow to Colombia's feared Gulf Clan in one of the largest drug busts ever in Europe.
Leader of now-defunct Colombian drug cartel dies in US jail
Read full article: Leader of now-defunct Colombian drug cartel dies in US jailAn elderly leader of the former Cali cartel that smuggled vast amounts of cocaine from Colombia to the United States in the 1980s and 1990s has died in a U.S. prison.
Ex-rebel emerges as favorite in Colombian presidential race
Read full article: Ex-rebel emerges as favorite in Colombian presidential raceA one-time rebel fighter has used an emotional anti-establishment discourse and promises to boost state involvement in the economy to garner a commanding lead in polls as Colombia heads into Sunday's presidential election.
Paraguay organized crime prosecutor slain on Colombian beach
Read full article: Paraguay organized crime prosecutor slain on Colombian beachParaguay’s prosecutor of organized crime and drug trafficking cases has been slain by gunmen on a Colombian beach as he honeymooned with his new wife, who says the attackers came on a jet ski or small boat.
As US poised to restrict abortion, other nations ease access
Read full article: As US poised to restrict abortion, other nations ease accessAs women in the United States find themselves on the verge of possibly losing the constitutional right to access abortion services, courts in other parts of the world, including in many historically conservative societies, have moved in the opposite direction.
Colombian candidate says he won't nationalize property
Read full article: Colombian candidate says he won't nationalize propertyColombian presidential frontrunner Gustavo Petro pledged that he will not nationalize private property if he wins the nation’s presidency this year as critics in the South American country accuse the leftist candidate of wanting to make radical changes to the country’s free market economy.
Colombia's highest court legalizes abortion up to 24 weeks
Read full article: Colombia's highest court legalizes abortion up to 24 weeksColombia has become the latest country in Latin America to expand access to abortion, with the nation’s Constitutional Court voting to legalize the procedure until the 24th week of pregnancy.