Manuel Rueda

Israel’s suspension of defense exports to Colombia following President Gustavo Petro’s criticism of Israel’s Gaza campaign threatens decades of military cooperation. The move could disrupt maintenance of Colombia’s aging Kfir fighter jets, surveillance and electronic-warfare systems, and domestic production of Galil rifles, potentially weakening the country’s ability to fight rebel and drug-trafficking groups. Analysts warn that finding alternative suppliers and retraining personnel would be costly and time-consuming. Petro has defended the Palestinian cause, refused to condemn Hamas’s attack, threatened to sever diplomatic ties with Israel, and proposed an international peace conference, while critics say his approach is damaging Colombia’s strategic relationships.

Colombian rebel groups, including the FARC-EMC, are using Facebook and TikTok videos to glamorize membership and recruit children and young adults, particularly in marginalized and Indigenous communities. U.N. human rights official Scott Campbell says Meta and TikTok need more human moderators, stronger automated tools and better information-sharing with Colombian prosecutors. Meta says it bans terrorist organizations and cooperates with law enforcement, while TikTok did not immediately respond. Child recruitment in Colombia increased sharply in 2024, with especially severe problems in Cauca, where armed groups compete for territorial control.

The Colombian government delegation in peace talks with the ELN condemned the rebel group’s armed strike, saying it harms rural civilians rather than opposing U.S. military activity in the Caribbean. The strike, which closed schools, shops and transportation and included attacks on an army base and police station, followed Washington’s seizure of an oil tanker off Venezuela and the escalation of pressure on President Nicolás Maduro. Colombia suspended peace talks with the ELN after deadly attacks that displaced more than 50,000 people, while critics accuse the group of exploiting ceasefires to expand its territorial control. The ELN remains active in Colombia and Venezuela, where it is accused of trafficking drugs and operating illegal gold mines.

Colombia condemned Ecuador’s decision to raise pipeline transportation fees for Colombian oil tenfold, from $3 to $30 per barrel, calling it an act of aggression. The measure is expected to affect Ecopetrol, which sends more than 12,000 barrels of oil per day through the pipeline to Pacific ports. The fee hike followed Colombia’s suspension of electricity sales to Ecuador and a broader trade dispute that began when President Daniel Noboa imposed a 30% tariff on Colombian imports, citing Colombia’s failure to adequately combat drug trafficking and illegal mining. Colombia retaliated with matching tariffs. The dispute threatens approximately $2.3 billion in bilateral trade and unfolds amid Ecuador’s record homicide rate and the expansion of cocaine trafficking and organized crime across the region.

President Gustavo Petro is urging Colombia’s Constitutional Court to lift its suspension of an emergency decree that would let his government raise taxes without congressional approval. The government says the additional revenue is needed to assist flood victims in Sucre and Córdoba, where flooding has killed at least 14 people and displaced about 69,000, as well as to address other urgent fiscal demands. The court suspended the decree in January, ruling that its stated grounds did not constitute an unforeseen emergency. The floods followed unusually heavy rain and strong winds, leaving parts of Montería submerged and residents recovering damaged belongings by canoe.

The International Committee of the Red Cross says Colombia’s armed conflict had its worst impact on civilians in a decade in 2025. Displacement doubled to 235,000 people, lockdowns imposed by rebel groups rose by 99%, and 965 people were killed or injured by explosive devices, a 33% annual increase. Violence has worsened as smaller criminal and rebel groups compete for territory once controlled by FARC, while critics argue President Gustavo Petro’s ceasefires have enabled groups to regroup and recruit children. The Red Cross and the United Nations have called for stronger civilian protection and respect for international humanitarian law.

A truck bomb exploded outside a police base in Cúcuta, injuring 11 officers and killing a police dog. Colombian authorities blamed the ELN and offered a $60,000 reward for information. The attack comes as incoming president Abelardo de la Espriella prepares to take office after pledging to end peace talks, intensify military operations, and resume aerial coca fumigation. The bombing also highlights the collapse of negotiations under Gustavo Petro and the continued competition among armed groups for control of rural territory and smuggling routes.

Colombia’s yellow national soccer jersey has become a flashpoint in the presidential runoff between conservative candidate Abelardo de la Espriella and Iván Cepeda of President Gustavo Petro’s Historical Pact. Cepeda says de la Espriella is improperly appropriating a national symbol and has asked his supporters to avoid jerseys at rallies, while de la Espriella’s campaign encourages their use as a sign of patriotism and resistance to the government. Analysts warn that Cepeda’s criticism may strengthen the association between the jersey and his rival. The dispute echoes Brazil, where Jair Bolsonaro’s supporters adopted that country’s jersey and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva later tried to reclaim it for broader national use. Colombia’s football federation says it cannot regulate the shirt’s use at political events.

Colombian officials have authorized the culling of up to 80 free-roaming hippos descended from four animals brought to Pablo Escobar’s private zoo in the 1980s. Authorities say the animals threaten villagers and displace native species, while previous sterilization efforts were costly and ineffective and relocation to Africa is impractical. Animal-welfare activists oppose the killings, and the hippos’ growing role in local tourism adds further controversy.

A Colombian military transport plane crashed shortly after takeoff in southwestern Colombia, killing 66 soldiers and leaving 57 others injured or rescued. President Gustavo Petro condemned the use of secondhand aircraft, calling them inadequate and costly to maintain, while noting that the US-donated Hercules CJ-130 had undergone a major overhaul in 2023. Investigators are examining the cause, including the airport’s short runway, while political critics point to reductions in Colombia’s defence budget.

A Colombian military Hercules CJ-130 crashed shortly after takeoff from Puerto Leguizamo in Putumayo, killing at least 66 soldiers and leaving 57 survivors injured. President Gustavo Petro blamed the use of secondhand military aircraft donated by the United States and renewed calls to modernize Colombia's armed forces, while former president Iván Duque urged a rigorous investigation into factors including the aircraft's weight and the airport's short runway. The aircraft had been overhauled in 2023, and aviation analyst Erich Saumeth said investigators should not assume poor-quality parts caused the crash. Petro also called for officials responsible for bureaucratic delays or inadequate military procurement to be removed.

Colombia’s largest remaining rebel group, the ELN, has called for a national accord after Colombia and the United States reportedly began considering joint operations against it. The group says it wants a future Colombian government to address poverty, environmental protection and rural drug trafficking, but President Gustavo Petro has demanded that it abandon drug trafficking, stop recruiting minors and end its use of camps in Venezuela before peace talks can resume. Pressure intensified after the United States captured former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, whose indictment alleges that he protected the ELN and facilitated cocaine trafficking. Colombia suspended peace talks after an ELN offensive in Catatumbo displaced more than 50,000 people; the group is estimated to have about 5,000 fighters in Colombia and Venezuela.

Cartagena has begun replacing its traditional horse-drawn tourist buggies with electric carriages after years of animal-welfare protests. The city introduced the first 30 vehicles and plans to deploy 62 custom-built electric carriages supported by a solar-powered charging facility. Activists cite horses collapsing in the heat and suffering from pavement, traffic and noise, while carriage owners argue that their industry was already regulated and that the ban unfairly threatens working-class livelihoods. The city has offered drivers jobs operating the new fleet but has not agreed on compensation or a role for carriage owners, prompting threats of a hunger strike.

Colombia will resume coca eradication using low-flying drones, with operations scheduled to begin after the government approved the plan. The drones are intended to target coca fields in areas controlled by criminal gangs and rebel groups while reducing risks to security forces, legal crops and water sources. Colombia halted aerial glyphosate spraying in 2015 after health and environmental concerns, but coca cultivation reached an estimated 261,000 hectares in 2024. President Gustavo Petro’s government initially opposed forced eradication because poor farmers lacked legal alternatives, but it has toughened its approach as armed groups intensify attacks. The move comes amid escalating U.S. pressure, including sanctions and threats of stronger action, over Colombia’s record cocaine production.

The Trump administration designated Colombia’s Clan del Golfo, also known as the AGC, as both a foreign and global terrorist organization, increasing financial and legal pressure on the cartel and potentially strengthening the framework for future US military action. The move comes amid deteriorating relations with President Gustavo Petro’s government, which Washington has criticized over counternarcotics cooperation and which has denied allowing cartels to flourish. The designation also complicates peace negotiations under which Clan del Golfo fighters could gather in protected zones and its leaders could avoid extradition while talks continue. Analysts say the action may be intended partly as a symbolic warning to Bogotá, while its practical impact remains uncertain.

Two Colombian police officers were killed in Cali by a roadside bomb attributed by authorities to the ELN, which has launched a 72-hour armed strike protesting the U.S. military buildup near Venezuela. The strike has included attacks on police and military targets and forced closures in areas under ELN influence, while the group has not claimed responsibility for the Cali attack. Colombia condemns both the ELN’s violence against civilians and U.S. intervention in Venezuela. President Gustavo Petro’s peace talks with the ELN remain suspended after earlier attacks displaced more than 50,000 people in Catatumbo.

Wilmer Chavarria, known as “Pipo” and believed to lead Ecuador’s Los Lobos gang, was arrested in Malaga during a joint Ecuadorian-Spanish operation. Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa said Chavarria faked his death in 2021, assumed a new identity and continued coordinating drug shipments, assassinations and extortion in Ecuador from Spain. Los Lobos, which reportedly has about 8,000 fighters, has been linked to political killings and alleged cooperation with Mexico’s Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The arrest comes amid Ecuador’s sharp rise in violence and a referendum on whether foreign countries should be allowed to operate military bases in the country.

Six children were reportedly killed alongside at least 13 fighters in a Colombian military airstrike against the FARC-EMC rebel group in Guaviare. Human rights ombudswoman Iris Marin said the children had been forcibly recruited and urged the government and rebels to protect minors under international humanitarian law. President Gustavo Petro defended ordering the strike to prevent an attack on Colombian troops, despite previously suspending such operations over concerns about child casualties. The incident has revived controversy over Colombia’s use of airstrikes against armed groups and Petro’s criticism of U.S. strikes on suspected drug traffickers.

Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio has said she will renounce her US visa in solidarity with President Gustavo Petro after the US State Department revoked his visa. The action followed Petro’s participation in a New York protest over the war in Gaza, where he urged US soldiers to disobey Donald Trump’s orders. The dispute adds to strains caused by disagreements over drug policy, the Gaza conflict and US military activity near Venezuela. Immigration attorneys said voluntarily giving up a non-immigrant visa is highly unusual and has no formal procedure, suggesting Villavicencio’s move is primarily symbolic.

Colombia’s Special Jurisdiction for Peace found seven former FARC leaders responsible for policies that led to the kidnapping of about 21,000 people during the country’s internal conflict. Rather than serving prison sentences, the leaders will spend eight years on projects to locate the missing, clear landmines and provide symbolic reparations, under electronic monitoring. The ruling is the tribunal’s first sentence for war crimes and reflects its restorative-justice model, which has been praised for documenting abuses but criticized as too lenient. The case found that victims were held in chains or cages and subjected to sexual abuse, while the leaders acknowledged failing to control fighters under their command.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro accused Peru of unilaterally annexing Santa Rosa Island by making it a district in Peru's Loreto province. Peru says treaties signed in 1922 and 1929 establish its control of the island, while Colombia argues that Santa Rosa had not emerged when the treaties were signed and that the border should follow the Amazon's deepest channel. Colombia plans to pursue diplomacy and has called for a bilateral commission to resolve ownership of islands formed over the past century. The dispute also affects Leticia's access to the river, while Santa Rosa residents hope district status will bring improved education, healthcare and local revenue.

UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese urged countries meeting in Bogotá to suspend ties with Israel and pressure its private sector, arguing that Israel’s occupation has become genocidal. The conference, organized by Colombia and South Africa and attended by developing nations alongside Spain, Ireland and China, is considering diplomatic, judicial and economic measures, including military ties, sanctions and settlement-related trade restrictions. Israel rejects the genocide allegation as antisemitic. Analysts question whether participating countries have enough leverage to change Israel’s policies, though the meeting gives Global South nations an opportunity to coordinate and state their positions on the war.

About 100 Colombian waste pickers protested in Bogotá’s Bolívar Square by dumping roughly 15 tons of recyclable materials to highlight falling incomes and worsening working conditions. Recycling plants have reduced the price paid for plastic, while waste pickers typically earn below the national minimum wage and face competition from Venezuelan migrants. Their representatives called for fairer prices and stronger government regulation, warning that further declines could discourage recycling and contribute to overflowing landfills.

The UN human rights office in Colombia warned that five Indigenous groups in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta—the Kogui, Wiwa, Kankuamo, Arhuaco and Ette Naka—face physical and cultural extinction. Armed groups fighting over territory and illicit economies have imposed restrictions, disrupted Indigenous self-government, displaced hundreds of people, and been linked to killings and disappearances. UN representative Scott Campbell urged President Gustavo Petro’s government to provide protection alongside improved healthcare, education and employment. The warning comes as Petro’s peace negotiations with rebel groups have made limited progress.

The White House is urging Colombia to abandon or revise planned third-party certification requirements for cars and auto parts, warning that the rules could stop nearly $700 million in annual U.S. automotive exports and trigger enforcement action. Colombia says the requirements are aligned with United Nations safety standards and will be discussed alongside U.S. tariffs on Colombian goods. The dispute adds pressure to already strained relations after an earlier confrontation over deportation flights and new U.S. tariffs that threaten Colombia’s agricultural exports.

A Colombian high court ruled that the reggaeton song “+57,” recorded by Karol G, J Balvin and other artists, violated children’s rights because its lyrics sexualized minors. The ruling orders the artists to avoid releasing music that infringes on the rights of children and adolescents. The song faced criticism from child-rights groups and music critics after its release, prompting apologies from Karol G and J Balvin and a revised version changing the referenced age from 14 to 18.

The Commoners of the South, a 250-member rebel faction in Colombia’s Nariño province, has begun surrendering land mines, grenades and rockets to the government as part of peace talks that could lead to its disarmament and transition to civilian life. The group split from the ELN in 2024 and is the only one among nine armed groups engaged by President Gustavo Petro’s “total peace” strategy to make tangible progress. Analysts say the localized talks may succeed, but unresolved questions about justice for victims remain. The group’s demobilization also raises concerns that another faction could take over its territory, amid continuing violence, drug trafficking and displacement in Colombia’s rural regions.

Colombian authorities released former Medellín Cartel leader Carlos Lehder after a judge ruled that his 24-year Colombian drug-trafficking sentence had expired in 2019. Lehder had been arrested after arriving in Bogotá, having not returned to Colombia since his 1987 extradition to the United States, where he served more than 30 years before being released in 2020 and deported to Germany. A key ally of Pablo Escobar, Lehder helped expand the cartel's cocaine routes through the Bahamas. His lawyer said he was visiting relatives and recovering from cancer and high blood pressure. Lehder previously reduced his U.S. sentence by providing information used in the prosecution of Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega.

Human Rights Watch says Colombia’s ELN and FARC-EMC rebels committed serious abuses against civilians in Catatumbo, including executions, forced child recruitment and forced labor. At least 78 people were killed and more than 56,000 displaced after the ELN launched an offensive on Jan. 16 to expand its control of the border region and its drug trade. HRW urged Colombia to strengthen investigations and protect prosecutors, while President Gustavo Petro suspended peace talks with the ELN and accused its leaders of abandoning their revolutionary ideals for drug trafficking. Violence has risen in isolated areas since the 2016 FARC peace deal as smaller armed groups compete for former FARC territory.

New Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez says the military must reclaim territory controlled by rebel groups and more forcefully protect civilians and security personnel. His appointment comes amid Colombia's worst security crisis in a decade, including the displacement of more than 36,000 people in Catatumbo after ELN attacks and the kidnapping of 28 police officers and a soldier in Cauca. President Gustavo Petro's “total peace” strategy has yielded temporary ceasefires but no lasting settlement, while the ELN and FARC-EMC have been accused of exploiting truces to expand recruitment, extortion and drug trafficking. The government has halted ELN peace talks and plans to pay Catatumbo farmers to replace coca with legal crops, while Sánchez's appointment marks a return to a retired military leader heading the defense ministry.

Colombian police detained a 40-year-old man at Cartagena airport after a scanner found about 220 grams of cocaine concealed beneath his toupee before a flight to Amsterdam. Authorities said the suspect had two previous drug-trafficking convictions and estimated the cocaine’s European street value at roughly €10,000. The case is presented against a broader backdrop of rising coca cultivation and cocaine production in Colombia, with smaller armed groups expanding the trade after the 2016 FARC peace agreement.

The ELN has imposed a three-day armed strike in Colombia’s Chocó department, shutting businesses, halting public transport and confining civilians amid escalating rural violence. About 1,600 people have been displaced in two weeks, while the military says the strike is intended to facilitate illegal mining and drug shipments and has deployed 1,500 troops. The ELN is also fighting the Gulf Clan for territory, following the post-FARC power vacuum. President Gustavo Petro suspended peace talks with the ELN after deadly attacks in Catatumbo, and the U.S. Embassy urged Americans in Chocó to leave.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered state-controlled Ecopetrol to cancel its renewed joint venture with Occidental Petroleum in the Permian Basin, objecting to oil extraction through fracking and calling for the proceeds to be invested in clean energy. The venture involved 91 wells and more than $880 million in investment, with production of roughly 95,200 barrels per day during the first nine months of the previous year. Ecopetrol shares initially rose after the renewal announcement but declined slightly following Petro's intervention. Colombia bans fracking projects domestically but had not previously prevented Ecopetrol from participating in overseas fracking operations.

The US Embassy in Colombia canceled hundreds of visa appointments after Colombia objected to US military deportation flights and demanded guarantees of dignified treatment for expelled migrants. President Donald Trump threatened 25% tariffs, visa revocations for Colombian officials and enhanced customs inspections, while the State Department suspended visa issuance. Negotiations led Colombia to agree to resume receiving deportees, prompting the White House to pause the tariffs, although visa restrictions and inspections were to remain until the first flight arrived. More than 1.6 million Colombians traveled legally to the United States last year.

More than 18,000 people have fled Colombia’s Catatumbo region, including about 1,000 who crossed into Venezuela, as fighting intensifies between the ELN and FARC-EMC. At least 80 people have been killed in the coca-producing border region, where the ELN is accused of targeting civilians suspected of collaborating with its rival. President Gustavo Petro suspended peace talks with the ELN and plans to invoke emergency powers, while the United Nations called on armed groups to respect civilians’ human rights.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro suspended peace negotiations with the ELN after escalating violence in the Catatumbo region, warning that the rebels had chosen war and would face military action. Fighting between the ELN and the FARC-EMC, along with attacks on alleged collaborators and former FARC fighters, has reportedly killed at least 80 people and displaced approximately 11,000. The ELN says it is targeting former rebels aligned with its rival rather than civilians, while local authorities warn that displaced residents face an impending humanitarian crisis. The violence highlights the power vacuum left by the 2016 FARC peace deal and the government's difficulty controlling armed groups in rural Colombia.

Venezuela’s Supreme Court fined TikTok $10 million for allegedly failing to prevent viral challenges linked by authorities to the deaths of three children and ordered the company to establish a Venezuelan content-supervision office within eight days. The court did not explain how it would enforce payment against TikTok’s China-based parent company. The case comes amid broader media and internet restrictions under President Nicolás Maduro, including blocks on news and human-rights websites and the social platform X. Independent monitors, the United Nations and the Carter Center have criticized Venezuela’s political and media environment, while TikTok had not yet responded to the fine.

Venezuela has charged Argentine Gendarmería corporal Nahuel Gallo with terrorism, alleging he was involved in destabilizing acts supported by international far-right groups. Argentina's Security Minister Patricia Bullrich rejected the accusation as a lie and demanded his immediate return, while Gallo's relatives say he entered Venezuela to visit his Venezuelan wife during vacation. The detention has intensified already strained relations after Argentina refused to recognize Nicolás Maduro's reelection, with Venezuela also accusing opposition activists sheltering in Argentina's Caracas embassy of plotting terrorism. Human rights groups say 19 foreign political prisoners are currently held in Venezuela.

Fabio Ochoa returned to Colombia after serving more than 20 years in a U.S. prison for drug trafficking, but was released by Colombian immigration officials because he was not wanted on any domestic charges. Victims and relatives of Medellín Cartel violence, including the Galán family and victims’ advocate Gonzalo Enrique Rojas, say his release reopens long-standing wounds and demand that prosecutors question him about killings, kidnappings, terrorism and the 1989 bombing of a civilian plane. Ochoa denies involvement in cartel killings and says he was framed by U.S. prosecutors. Victims argue that truth and accountability, rather than prison terms alone, are necessary for justice.

A charter bus carrying 47 people crashed into a cliff near Porte Puymorens in the French Pyrenees while returning to Barcelona from a shopping trip in Andorra. Two people were killed, dozens were injured and seven passengers were in critical condition. Colombia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said 30 passengers were Colombian citizens living in Spain. Survivors were taken to hospitals in southern France and Puigcerda, Spain, while more than 120 rescuers and helicopters supported the emergency response.

Human Rights Watch is urging Latin American governments to create renewable legal-status protections for Venezuelan and Haitian migrants, simplify regularization procedures and remove barriers to work permits and essential services. The group says restrictive policies, administrative delays and weak integration efforts are pushing vulnerable migrants toward the United States, including through the dangerous Darién Gap between Colombia and Panama. More than 700,000 migrants have crossed the gap in the past 18 months, including large numbers of Venezuelans and Haitians fleeing political, economic and security crises.

Colombian truckers intensified nationwide protests after the government raised diesel prices by 50 cents to about $2.90 per gallon, blocking roads in Bogotá, Medellín and Cali and disrupting food deliveries. Truckers' unions say the removal of long-standing fuel subsidies threatens their businesses, while President Gustavo Petro's administration argues that ending subsidies is needed to reduce public debt and fund health and education. The government plans a three-stage phaseout and is open to compensation talks, as the Finance Ministry prepares a $3 billion tax reform involving higher wealth, non-wage income, hybrid-car and online-betting taxes.

Colombia is importing 100,000 barrels of jet fuel after reported shortages disrupted airline operations. Ecopetrol says refinery production has returned to normal, but rising demand and logistical problems have reduced available supplies. Avianca is offering free reservation changes and plans to bring extra fuel back from overseas, while LATAM will cancel 36 flights to manage inventories. President Gustavo Petro and the transportation minister deny a national shortage, describing the situation as an irregularity or logistical issue under investigation.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro signed legislation banning bullfighting nationwide by 2027. Approved by Congress in May, the law also directs the government to convert more than a dozen bullrings into cultural and sporting venues. Animal-rights activists celebrated the measure after decades of lobbying, while bullfighting groups argued that it threatens cultural expression and the livelihoods of matadors, promoters, merchants and specialized ranchers. Opponents plan to challenge the law in Colombia’s Constitutional Court. Colombia joins a growing number of jurisdictions restricting a tradition that remains legal in only seven countries.

Colombia’s Congress voted to ban bullfighting, with the practice set to become illegal by the start of 2028 after a three-year phaseout. The bill requires President Gustavo Petro’s signature, which is expected given his long-standing opposition to bullfighting. The decision reflects growing concern over animal suffering and declining acceptance of the tradition, although bullfights remain popular in places such as Manizales and continue to be legal in several other countries.

Colombian insurer Sura plans to withdraw from the country's health system because government payments for managing more than five million patients do not cover rising costs. Opposition leaders say President Gustavo Petro's left-wing administration is deliberately weakening private insurers to expand state control, while Petro argues that private insurers have caused delays, denied treatment and accumulated major debts to hospitals. The government has raised insurer payments below the level companies say is necessary and intervened in two major insurers after reserve violations. Sura's departure could shift five million affiliates to state control, threaten jobs and complicate the transfer of patient records, further intensifying the political and operational crisis around Colombia's proposed health-care reforms.

Violence escalated in southwestern Colombia after a bomb blast injured six people in Jamundí and insurgents attacked a police station in Morales, killing at least two officers. The government blamed the FARC-EMC, whose western faction under Ivan Mordisco abandoned peace talks and has intensified attacks on state forces. Analyst Elizabeth Dickinson said the faction may permanently split from EMC groups still negotiating with the government, increasing fragmentation and risks to civilians. President Gustavo Petro’s “total peace” strategy has produced ceasefires and reduced some fighting, but kidnapping, extortion, child recruitment and competition over illegal mining and drug-trafficking businesses have continued to grow.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said inspections uncovered the theft of hundreds of thousands of bullets, thousands of grenades and 37 anti-tank missiles from two military bases. He alleged that networks within the armed forces were involved in illegal arms trafficking and said weapons may have reached Colombian rebels or criminal groups abroad, including gangs in Haiti. Further inspections are planned as Colombia resumes fighting with the FARC-EMC in the southwest. Petro’s peace talks with rebel groups have reduced fighting in some areas, but critics argue that cease-fires have allowed armed groups to expand their influence and continue extorting and kidnapping civilians.

Colombia has introduced higher charges for households and businesses that exceed their usual electricity consumption and discounts for those that use less, as drought linked to El Niño reduces hydroelectric generation and threatens power cuts. The government hopes conservation will allow reservoirs to recover, while Bogotá has begun rotating water rationing and warned against wasteful use. The same dry conditions have caused extended electricity outages in Ecuador, affecting homes, hospitals, schools and factories.

Ecuador has begun rationing electricity in major cities as El Niño-linked drought reduces reservoir levels and limits hydroelectric generation, which supplies about 75% of the country’s power. Cities including Quito, Cuenca and Guayaquil experienced scheduled outages, disrupting restaurants, merchants and payment systems. Colombia is facing similar hydroelectric constraints, has suspended electricity exports to Ecuador and is considering incentives for businesses that cut consumption. President Daniel Noboa alleged that political rivals sabotaged power plants without providing evidence, called for the energy minister’s resignation and promised to subsidize April electricity bills.

Bogotá has introduced additional measures to reduce water consumption as an El Niño-related drought leaves the Chingaza Reservoir System at a record-low 15% capacity. Households using more than 22 cubic meters of water monthly will face additional fees, while people who waste water could be fined up to $300. The city is also reducing bus-washing frequency and urging residents to take shorter showers and avoid daily bathing when possible. A rotating rationing system has lowered consumption from 17.84 to 16.01 cubic meters per second, but officials say it must fall to 15 cubic meters per second for reservoirs to recover; experts warn supplies could run out within two months without renewed rainfall.

Human Rights Watch says Panama and Colombia are failing to protect the hundreds of thousands of migrants crossing the Darien Gap, who face robbery, sexual violence, drowning and exploitation by criminal groups. It calls for stronger coordination, increased state resources, investigations into the Gulf Clan, improved security and unrestricted humanitarian access. The organization also urges Panama to restore Doctors Without Borders’ operations and revise its controlled-flow policy so migrants can seek asylum or move freely. More than 520,000 people crossed the route in 2023, including large numbers of Venezuelans, Ecuadorians, Haitians and Afghan refugees.

Medellín Mayor Federico Gutiérrez imposed a six-month ban on prostitution in the tourist districts of Provenza and El Poblado, citing concerns that criminal networks are forcing minors into sex work. The measure is permitted under Colombian law when prostitution threatens public order, although consensual sex work between adults remains legal. It follows the discovery of an American man with two girls aged 12 and 13 and wider concerns about tourists being targeted through dating apps. The U.S. State Department has warned that such apps have been used to lure visitors into robberies, kidnappings and druggings.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro threatened to sever diplomatic relations with Israel unless it complies with a U.N. Security Council call for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. Israel rejected the threat, accused Petro of supporting Hamas, and said it would continue its military campaign. The dispute reflects a sharp deterioration in relations that were previously based on military and commercial cooperation, while Colombia remains dependent on Israeli equipment and expertise for parts of its defense capabilities.

Transit through the Darien Gap resumed after Colombian boat companies in Necoclí ended a four-day strike triggered by the arrest of two captains accused of transporting migrants in unsafe conditions and contributing to human trafficking. About 3,000 migrants left Necoclí after Friday, while hundreds remained waiting and roughly 8,000 had been stranded at the peak of the stoppage. The companies agreed to register passengers through a government app, with further transport rules under discussion. Crossings are rising sharply, driven largely by Venezuelans fleeing economic hardship, while the route remains dangerous because of drowning, robbery, sexual violence, disease and exploitation by the Gulf Clan.

Former Colombian paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso was transferred to Colombia after completing a US sentence for directing more than 130 tons of cocaine to the United States. He was taken into custody in Bogotá and will face Colombian proceedings concerning more than 1,500 murders and disappearances attributed to him. Victims’ representatives and government officials hope he will reveal information about paramilitary crimes, political connections and alleged support from businesses and officials. Mancuso may seek reduced punishment through Colombia’s transitional justice system, while researchers warn that cooperation could put his life at risk. His return also comes as President Gustavo Petro’s government pursues peace talks with armed groups.

Hundreds of Colombians marched in Bogotá with white carnations and placed 1,000 symbolic urns to commemorate human rights leaders and former FARC fighters killed since the 2016 peace agreement. More than 400 former combatants have reportedly been murdered, including 47 in the previous year, largely in areas where the EMC and ELN are competing for territory. Victims' families and peace advocates called on President Gustavo Petro's government to protect civilians and former fighters. Analysts warned that the killings are deterring disarmament and could undermine government cease-fire negotiations with remaining rebel groups.

Hundreds of Colombian military veterans are joining Ukraine’s armed forces, drawn by combat experience, comparatively high pay and, for some, a desire to return to military life. Their background fighting cartels and rebel groups makes them valuable amid Ukraine’s personnel shortages, while the Ukrainian military has expanded Spanish-language recruitment. The work is dangerous: fighters face constant Russian bombardment, and relatives often struggle to obtain information when recruits disappear, as in the case of Colombian veteran Oscar Arley Triana, who remains officially missing after an ambush in the Kharkiv region.

Colombia’s government and the ELN agreed to extend their cease-fire for 180 days, just before the original truce expired. The ELN also pledged to temporarily suspend kidnappings for ransom, while the terms and alternative funding arrangements for the group will be discussed in April peace talks. Although the cease-fire has reduced fighting, the ELN has continued recruiting teenagers, extorting civilians and holding hostages, with at least 38 people reportedly detained. The agreement forms part of President Gustavo Petro’s broader effort to negotiate with armed groups outside the 2016 FARC peace deal.

Wildfires in central Chile killed at least 122 people and left hundreds missing, with Viña del Mar, Quilpué and Villa Alemana among the hardest-hit areas. Survivors and volunteers searched burned neighborhoods for belongings while authorities worked to identify victims using genetic samples. President Gabriel Boric said at least 3,000 homes were destroyed, and residents were urged to remain at home to facilitate rescue operations as some stayed near the ruins to deter looters.

Wildfires in central Chile have killed at least 64 people, destroyed homes and a historic botanical garden, and left at least 1,600 people homeless. The fires are most intense around Viña del Mar, where about 200 people have been reported missing. High temperatures, low humidity, strong winds and El Niño-related drought have hampered firefighting, while authorities have ordered evacuations and imposed curfews to prevent looting. Officials, including President Gabriel Boric and Valparaíso Governor Rodrigo Mundaca, suspect some fires may have been deliberately started and are seeking those responsible.

At least 19 people were killed and around 1,100 homes destroyed as 92 forest fires burned across central and southern Chile. The worst fires were in the Valparaíso region near Quilpué, Villa Alemana and Viña del Mar, where approximately 8,000 hectares had burned. Authorities established shelters, urged residents to remain indoors to allow emergency vehicles to pass, and deployed 19 helicopters and more than 450 firefighters. Drought and unusually high temperatures linked to the El Niño weather pattern increased fire risks across western South America.

The Colombian government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) extended their ceasefire by one week while negotiators in Cuba continued discussing a longer-term agreement. The existing truce prohibits attacks and aims to improve conditions for communities affected by fighting, but does not prevent kidnapping for ransom or the recruitment of minors—practices that have continued. The government is demanding an end to kidnappings, while the ELN wants alternative funding and says it will only stop the practice under a new agreement. The negotiations were complicated by the kidnapping of soccer star Luis Díaz’s parents, both of whom were eventually released.

Colombia has extended its cease-fire with the FARC-EMC splinter group until July 15 while peace talks continue in Bogotá. The agreement includes measures prohibiting attacks on civilians, threats against community leaders and restrictions on villagers’ movement. The government hopes the truce will reduce rural violence and support economic and environmental projects, but critics and analysts question whether previous cease-fires improved civilian security. The FARC-EMC and other armed groups continue to compete for territory, recruit minors, extort businesses and carry out kidnappings in areas left vulnerable after the 2016 FARC peace deal.

Brazil urged Venezuela and Guyana to return to dialogue and warned third countries against military activities that could support either side. The appeal followed Venezuela’s military exercises involving about 5,000 troops near Guyana after Britain sent the patrol ship HMS Trent to Guyana for engagements and training. Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro called the deployment a threat, while Guyanese President Irfaan Ali said the ship posed no danger. The dispute centers on oil-rich Essequibo, which Guyana administers but Venezuela claims; the issue remains before the International Court of Justice, with a ruling still years away.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro ordered 6,000 troops to conduct defensive exercises near the country’s eastern coast after the United Kingdom redirected HMS Trent toward Guyana. Maduro called the deployment a threat and said it violated a recent agreement requiring Venezuela and Guyana to resolve their Essequibo dispute peacefully. Guyana maintains control of the oil-rich region and says it retains the right to cooperate with international partners on defense. The United Kingdom says HMS Trent will conduct joint operations with Guyana’s defense forces.

Shakira was honored in her hometown of Barranquilla, Colombia, with a six-metre bronze statue depicting her in a belly-dancing pose. The monument, unveiled near the Magdalena River in a ceremony attended by her parents and Mayor Jaime Pumarejo, is the city’s second statue of the singer. Shakira thanked sculptor Yino Marquez and students from Barranquilla’s public art academy, describing the work as evidence of the city’s talent. The tribute follows her recent Latin Grammy wins, record-breaking rap release about her former partner, settlement of a Spanish tax-fraud case and move to Miami with her children.

ELN commander Antonio García says the group will suspend kidnappings for ransom only if Colombia finances projects providing alternative income and funds the existing cease-fire. His clarification disputes the government's announcement that the rebels had already agreed to end the practice and creates a setback for President Gustavo Petro's peace efforts. The six-month cease-fire runs through January 30, while the ELN continues to hold at least 38 hostages and has made limited progress in negotiations that began in November 2022.

Colombian police searched a cloud-forest mountain range for Luis Díaz’s father, Luis Manuel Díaz, after armed men abducted him and his wife, Cilenis Marulanda, near Barrancas. Marulanda was rescued within hours, but Luis Manuel Díaz remained missing, with authorities offering a reward and investigating whether he may have been taken into Venezuela. No armed group had claimed responsibility. Díaz missed Liverpool’s match against Nottingham Forest, while his teammates showed support after noting Colombia’s wider rise in ransom kidnappings and the government’s efforts to negotiate ceasefires with rebel groups.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams concluded a four-day trip through Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico by urging the United States to grant migrants and asylum seekers legal pathways to work. Speaking in Necoclí, Colombia, a major departure point for migrants crossing the Darién Gap, Adams called for regional cooperation while warning that New York is at capacity and cannot indefinitely absorb new arrivals. New York faces rising shelter costs under its legal obligation to house people in need, while Colombia’s provision of long-term work permits to Venezuelans has not stopped many from continuing toward the United States. More than 200,000 Venezuelans crossed the Darién Gap this year, and a new US-Venezuela agreement allowing direct deportation flights has not deterred some migrants from continuing north.

Colombia’s coca cultivation reached a record 230,000 hectares in 2022, a 13% increase from the previous year, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Although officials say the growth rate has slowed, coca expansion is concentrated in border regions such as Putumayo, where cocaine can be transported and exported easily. President Gustavo Petro is reducing eradication targets and arguing that drug use should be treated primarily as a public-health issue rather than a military problem. His government plans to encourage legal crops and improve education, healthcare and infrastructure in isolated coca-growing areas, while the UN says falling coca-leaf prices in parts of the interior could create an opportunity for crop-substitution programs. The increase has followed the 2016 peace deal as smaller armed groups moved into territory formerly controlled by FARC.