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These are the trending news headlines in Colombia on Monday April 10, 2023
The Nevado del Ruiz volcano in Colombia, responsible for one of the largest disasters in the Western Hemisphere, is showing signs of increased activity. Experts have detected an earthquake swarm not seen since the eruption in the 1980s that killed at least 25,000 people. The Colombian government has issued evacuations in the potential impact zone and raised the alert level to orange, the second-highest on a four-stage scale. An estimated 57,000 people live in municipalities close to the volcano. The last major eruption occurred in 1985, killing thousands. The US Geological Survey recounted that "Sadly, the lahars reached Armero approximately two hours after the eruption - plenty of time for the people to have evacuated to higher ground, had they been notified more quickly."
Controversy has erupted in Colombia after Onlyfans adult film actress Katty Blake posted a video of herself performing a sex act in public at the Rock of Guatapé. The 721-foot-high (220 meters) natural landmark is considered a national treasure and La Piedra, the tourist center that manages the site, has vowed to take legal action against all those involved in the video. The incident sparked national outrage and generated widespread media coverage in Colombia. Blake and her partner Zac, who filmed the video, may face legal trouble, and residents of Guatapé, the town near the rock, are particularly incensed, having experienced similar incidents of public indecency in recent times.
Colombia has launched a new digital nomad visa, making it one of the most accessible options for remote workers looking for an affordable place to live. The visa will allow successful applicants to stay in the country for up to two years, compared to the 90-day limit for Americans without a visa. Applicants will need to show proof of employment or self-employment and earnings of at least 655 US dollars per month, as well as proof of health insurance. Colombia’s vibrant culture, diverse landscapes, and low cost of living have long attracted digital nomads, making this visa a great option for those seeking a long-term stay.
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These are the trending news headlines in Colombia on Saturday April 8, 2023
Protests at a coal mine in Colombia's La Guajira province have ended after four days, allowing the mine to resume operations. The blockade was led by residents from three communities in Media Luna and had affected the rail line and entrance to the export terminal used by coal miner Cerrejon. The company, owned by Anglo-Swiss commodities giant Glencore, has had long-standing disputes with Wayuu indigenous communities over water use and pollution, dust, noise, and health issues. The company is under a court order to comply with environmental and health requirements, including reaching agreements with Wayuu communities, but has rejected calls to suspend some operations made by a U.N. Special Rapporteur in 2020.
President Gustavo Petro, wants to transform his country's "economy of death" by pivoting away from fossil fuels and narcotics toward more sustainable economic activities. This is an unprecedented energy policy, given that oil and coal make up half of Colombia's exports and the country is the world's leading cocaine producer. If Colombia can successfully undertake this pivot, it would set an example for other countries similarly addicted to such substances. However, Petro and his environmentalist vice president have encountered significant resistance to their plans, even from within their own ranks. The country also faces a huge debt problem, with one-third of government revenues flowing toward servicing its foreign debt. Despite these challenges, Colombia is offering a fundamentally different paradigm of economic development, one that's more green than pink. The question is, will the world, and particularly the United States, lend a hand in pulling Colombia out of its economic hole?
In a recent development, low-cost airline easyJet is set to acquire two Airbus A320neo planes that were initially ordered by Viva Air Colombia. The two narrowbodies are set to be delivered directly to easyJet from Airbus later this year. With the addition of the two new planes, easyJet's fleet will expand to 322 Airbus A320 family jets. The carrier has a further 132 A320neo aircraft on direct order from Airbus, with 33 orders outstanding for the A321neo variant. The increased capacity is expected to boost easyJet's summer operations, with the carrier set to offer over 125 destinations from its bases across the United Kingdom and Europe. Meanwhile, troubled Colombian airline Viva Air faces financial difficulties and has suspended operations due to a delayed takeover by Avianca.
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These are the trending news headlines in Colombia on Thursday April 6, 2023
Operations at Colombia's Cerrejon coal mine have been affected by a blockade of a rail line and export terminal used by the company, according to a statement released on Wednesday. The blockade, led by residents of three communities in Media Luna, La Guajira province, is an effort to obtain a "disproportionate agreement" following a court order for Cerrejon to reach agreements with nearby Wayuu indigenous communities regarding environmental and health requirements. The company, which is owned by Anglo-Swiss commodities giant Glencore, has already signed 302 agreements, including 11 with Media Luna communities. Blockades are common and regularly result in losses for Cerrejon, which remains open to dialogue and hopes for government help to lift the blockade.
Colombia's peso is expected to remain weak due to the central bank's wait-and-see approach to interest rates, combined with a mismatch between the currency and oil prices, according to a Reuters poll. The peso is predicted to trade at 4,800 per U.S. dollar at the end of June, which is 4.2% softer than its value on Monday. Last year, the peso was one of the world's worst-performing currencies, losing a fifth of its value due to concerns about President Gustavo Petro's proposed reforms. BanRep, the central bank, raised the benchmark rate by 25 basis points to 13% last week. If inflation behaves as expected in March, it could be the last hike, according to J.P. Morgan analysts. However, they remain data-dependent, which supports their underweight view for the peso.
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These are the trending news headlines in Colombia on Wednesday April 5, 2023
Brazilian gangs are believed to be behind the surging violence in the Colombia-Brazil-Peru tri-border area, as they fight for control of the key drug trafficking corridor. Local news outlet La Silla Vacía reported that two people were killed and two others wounded in Leticia, the capital city of Colombia’s Amazonas department, between March 24 and March 26, while a Colombian national was killed in Tabatinga, the Brazilian town on the border with Leticia. Authorities suspect that the perpetrators of the attacks are connected to Brazilian groups from Tabatinga, which have established themselves in Colombia. The violence is the result of a dispute between the Red Command and the Crias, two Brazilian criminal organizations, with the former allied with Colombian groups including the Caqueteños. Murders have increased by 33% in 2022, with 32 killings recorded, according to the Colombian National Police.
In 2022, Colombia was the deadliest country in the world for human rights defenders, accounting for 46% of the global total registered last year, according to a report from Front Line Defenders. Latin America and Ukraine together accounted for 80% of the 401 deaths of rights defenders across the globe, with Colombia seeing more than three times the number of human rights mur ders than Ukraine. Defenders working on the protection of land, environmental and Indigenous peoples' rights were the most frequently targeted. Indigenous rights defenders accounted for 22% of the total global killings across all human rights sectors last year. Environmental and Indigenous rights defenders were also disproportionately targeted in Colombia last year, with 88 environmental and Indigenous rights defenders killed. The country recorded 186 killings of rights defenders in 2022. The international community must stand in solidarity with them and do all they can to protect defenders, Front Line Defenders’ interim director, Olive Moore, said.
After seven years of diplomatic disputes and border closures, Venezuela and Colombia are finally seeing the benefits of renewed ties. The border town of San Antonio del Táchira is once again bustling with activity as customs officials inspect tractor trailers loaded with imports from Colombia, including mundane cargo such as detergent, tobacco, and crates of mayonnaise. Warehouse owner Emilio Gutiérrez, who had to resettle in Colombia due to the closures, is thrilled to have reopened his business and believes that the border will once again become one of the busiest in Latin America. The trade between the two countries had peaked at $7 billion in 2007, but it had dwindled down to just $300 million in 2021 due to diplomatic tensions. However, with the recent improvements in relations, formal trade is expected to increase significantly, bringing jobs and economic benefits to both countries.
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These are the trending news headlines in Colombia on Tuesday April 4, 2023
Residents living on the upper slopes of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano in Colombia are being evacuated due to an increase in seismic activity. Colombia's Geological Service has raised the alert level from yellow to orange, warning that a major eruption could occur in the coming days or weeks.
This is a worrying development as the volcano caused Colombia's deadliest natural disaster in 1985, when an eruption caused snow on its peak to melt and triggered a mudslide that buried the town of Armero, killing around 25,000 people.
Geologists have registered thousands of daily tremors, an unprecedented number since they began monitoring the volcano's activity. Around 40 families have been evacuated and schools in the area will switch to online classes. The nearby Los Nevados natural park has also been closed to tourists.
The SGV said that it had no scientific way of predicting if the volcano's activities would increase further or diminish again. The last time the threat level at the Nevado del Ruiz was raised was in 2012, but no major eruption occurred that time. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation and taking necessary precautions to ensure the safety of residents in the area.
Colombia's most powerful drug trafficking organization, AGC, wants a seat at the government table. The AGC controls a massive swath of the country and the most important routes for moving cocaine to the United States. It also plays the role of both police and judiciary in rural communities, resolving disputes between locals.
During several hours of conversation with Washington Post journalists, Jerónimo, the AGC's political commander, explained the organization's self-proclaimed political mission. The move comes as the leftist government of President Gustavo Petro is pursuing an ambitious plan for "total peace," attempting to dismantle multiple armed groups and end the violence and killings that have long beset the country.
More than 1 million people have died in Colombia's decades-long conflict, according to government figures, and more than 8.4 million have been displaced from their homes. While the AGC's case for peace may seem like progress, the organization's history of violence and drug trafficking raises questions about its true intentions. Authorities and the public remain cautious as they navigate the complex and dangerous world of Colombian drug cartels.
In a series of maritime incidents off the coast of Colombia, the navy seized more than four tons of marijuana and intercepted three drug-laden ships. Two of the ships sank as they tried to evade the navy. The first ship, which was carrying around 5,000 pounds of marijuana, sank due to bad weather, but the two people on board were rescued. In the second incident, officials seized more than 2,000 pounds of marijuana from a high-speed ship that was intercepted. In the third incident, a boat manned by three individuals was detected about 50 nautical miles off the coast of Bahía Solano, but it ended up sinking after trying to flee. Seven arrests were made, and more than 700,000 doses of the drug were seized. The navy has been busy intercepting drug-laden vessels off the coast in recent months.
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These are the trending news headlines in Colombia on Friday March 31, 2023
Colombia is making progress in removing 70 hippos left behind by the late druglord Pablo Escobar, but the task comes with a hefty price tag of $3.5 million. These African beasts were brought to Colombia in the late 1980s and have since multiplied to 150 animals, causing havoc in their environment. The authorities plan to capture and move nearly half of them, with 10 going to a sanctuary in northern Mexico and 60 to India. Ernesto Zazueta, the owner of the Mexican sanctuary, estimates the operation will cost $3.5 million. The hippos were declared an invasive species last year, but the transfer plan is seen as a life-saving measure.
Colombian low cost carrier, Ultra Air, has ceased operations just 14 months after starting flights. The airline had been flying to cities throughout Colombia with a fleet of six Airbus A320 aircraft. The airline cited the rising cost of fuel and foreign exchange rates as reasons for its demise, as well as the collapse of Viva Air last month. The Colombian government has said that Ultra Air's inability to raise additional capital is the cause of its failure. Ultra Air is the fourth Latin American airline to fold this year, following the closures of Viva Air Colombia, Viva Air Peru, and Aeromar last month.
The coup regime in Peru has ordered the "definitive withdrawal" of the country's ambassador to Colombia, Félix Ricardo Americo Antonio Denegri Boza, in response to President Gustavo Petro's criticism of human rights abuses committed in Peru following the coup against Pedro Castillo. This follows a vote in Congress last month that declared Petro as 'persona non grata' over his comments criticizing the coup. The regime's use of excessive force against anti-coup protests and strikes has resulted in over 60 deaths since December. The regime is deeply unpopular, with a 77% disapproval rating among Peruvians. The regime's actions have burned relations with numerous Latin American countries, with whom they have long had good relations. They have threatened to withdraw their ambassadors to Bolivia and Argentina, whose governments do not recognize the unelected Boluarte regime as legitimate.
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These are the trending news headlines in Colombia on Thursday March 30, 2023
Nine soldiers have been killed and nine others wounded in an attack on a military unit in Colombia. The attack took place in El Carmen, in Norte de Santander state, and the attackers used long-range weapons and improvised explosive devices. The National Liberation Army, or ELN, is suspected to be behind the attack. President Gustavo Petro condemned the attack and called for consultations with government negotiators and international partners in the peace process. The attack comes as efforts to negotiate a lasting peace with the ELN have resumed after a hiatus in November. The ELN now has around 2,000 to 4,000 troops in Colombia and neighboring Venezuela, and has been accused of running drug trafficking routes and illegal gold mines.
Colombian President Petro announced from Villavicencio that his government will prioritize housing construction and improvement, with a focus on rural areas where almost four million Colombians lack their own homes. The Special Assets Society (SAE) is recovering assets and properties from drug traffickers and giving them to hard-working people and neighborhoods, with the recovered land to be used for social housing projects. The government aims to repair 100,000 homes per year, which will provide decent housing for the majority of Colombians. Petro's government is also prioritizing social programs and pushing for radical reforms in health, labor, and pensions. Colombia is taking significant steps towards building a better future for its citizens by prioritizing their needs.
In Colombia, tensions are rising between Indigenous communities and Mennonite colonies over land ownership and deforestation. Since 2015, Mennonite colonies have arrived in Colombia and established large-scale agriculture in protected areas and Indigenous territories. Indigenous leaders have reported threats and intimidation from Mennonite colony members and other individuals, with some leaders requesting anonymity due to safety concerns. Satellite data shows ongoing tree cover loss associated with agricultural expansion in the Liviney Mennonite Colony. Indigenous communities are working towards recognition as victims of violence by Colombia’s Land Restitution Unit, while a report submitted to Colombia’s Special Jurisdiction for Peace suggests that another war is developing, this time through writing and environmental licenses. Reports of conflict between Indigenous residents and Mennonite settlers are numerous, including threats and violence against Indigenous leaders and their families. A 2021 investigation by the Corporation for the Sustainable Development of the Macarena found no illegal environmental activity by Mennonite colonies, but Indigenous communities continue to fight for their rights to their ancestral lands.
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These are the trending news headlines in Colombia on Wednesday March 29, 2023
The Colombian Navy has rescued five Venezuelan migrants, including a pregnant woman and a minor, who were stranded on a small Caribbean island after being abandoned by human traffickers en route to the United States. The group paid $1,200 to the traffickers and departed from the San Andres archipelago in Colombian waters, with plans to continue their journey overland to the US. Instead, they were left stranded on Cayo Albuquerque, a small atoll located between Nicaragua and San Andres. Some migrants take clandestine boat rides from San Andres to avoid the dangerous journey on foot through the Darien Gap. Colombia is currently hosting 2.5 million Venezuelan refugees, with more than seven million people having fled Venezuela in recent years, according to the United Nations.
The Euroamerica Foundation recently held its annual forum in Colombia, focusing on digital, green and fair investments, aligned with the Global Gateway initiative. The event emphasized the need for more collaboration between the public and private sectors to accelerate sustainable and inclusive transformations in the country. The forum was attended by a high level of institutional representation from both Europe and Colombia, and showcased the strong links between the two regions. The Euroamerica Foundation's President, Ramón Jáuregui, indicated Europe's strong will to build solid collaboration with Latin America, supported by Spain. The forum also discussed the Global Gateway initiative to promote smart, sustainable, and secure links with regional partners through major investments. The need to count on the private sector and foster public-private partnerships was emphasized to attract European investments to the region, facilitating transformations and improving the quality of life of citizens. The forum brought together over 230 attendees and showcased the strong links between the two regions.
The Colombian capital, Bogotá, has presented its first bus for public transport powered by green hydrogen. The bus is part of a sustainable mobility program that aims to reduce emissions by 15% by 2024 and 50% by 2030. The green hydrogen bus will be one of a fleet of 13 units of this type that will operate in Bogotá, and it can transport 98,500 passengers per year while avoiding emissions of 135t of CO2 equivalent a year. The project is led by the mayor's office, Transmilenio, the Ecopetrol group, the fund for non-conventional energies and efficient energy management (FENOGE), auto parts factory FANALCA and Green Móvil. The green hydrogen bus has a range of 450km with a single charge of hydrogen and is a significant step towards Colombia's goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.
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These are the trending news headlines in Colombia on Tuesday March 28, 2023
Colombia could become the latest country to ban bullfighting as the nation's House of Representatives considers legislation introduced by Senator Andrea Padilla, a long-time animal rights activist. The Senate has already approved the measure that would ban the practice within three years and impose immediate reforms on bullfighting shows. The legislation bars the use of some weapons and the killing of the animal, but supporters of bullfighting say those measures would effectively end the tradition. In a November public opinion study, 85% of Colombians supported a ban on bullfights. However, some politicians have been unwilling to support the measure, preferring instead to "moderate" bullfights by making some of the weapons used less violent.
Colombia's fight against drug trafficking is at risk of losing US support due to rising coca output and a proposed bill that could allow criminal gangs to surrender and potentially receive pardons, warns Attorney General Francisco Barbosa. The bill, supported by leftist President Gustavo Petro, seeks to end the role of criminal groups in the country's internal conflict. However, Barbosa argues that the proposed legislation would allow criminals to break the law, launder assets, and benefit from large-scale drug trafficking. He also expresses concern that Colombia's decision to reduce manual eradication of coca and suspend aerial spraying of drug crops with the pesticide glyphosate would increase coca output. Colombia receives $450 million in annual assistance from the US, and a potential de-certification could result in a loss of funding. Barbosa emphasizes the need for Colombia to fight against becoming a narco-state and highlights that total peace cannot be achieved by merely emptying jails.
Chicha, an indigenous drink made from fermented corn, has been making a comeback in Colombia despite being officially outlawed since 1949. Villainised and stigmatised for over a century, chicha was said to cause a disease named chichismo, which led to a slow deterioration of the body and mind. The indigenous Muisca people, who inhabited the high mountainous plateau where Bogotá is today, made chicha using their traditional process centuries before Europeans arrived. The women chewed the corn and spat the mash into a clay bowl to start the fermentation initiated by their saliva. Only the wise women of the community were allowed to chew the corn, as they would pass their wisdom into the chicha so others could ingest it. Originally produced in small amounts, chicha was reserved only for special celebrations or ceremonies, but today it can be found in half the places around Bogotá.
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These are the trending news headlines in Colombia on Monday March 27, 2023
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has admitted that his country shares the blame for the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise in July 2021. Moise was killed by a group of Colombian mercenaries, which worsened Haiti's already dire political and economic crises. Petro said that Colombia has a co-responsibility because Haiti helped it become a country in the past, and Colombian mercenaries were involved in the assassination. Petro has expressed a desire to visit Haiti, but said that the people of Haiti must resolve their own crises with diplomatic, not weapon-based, help. Despite the arrests made in connection with the assassination, the full reasons behind the plot remain unclear. Since Moise's murder, Haiti has experienced a surge in gang violence, with hundreds of people murdered or kidnapped by criminal gangs. Haiti played a crucial role in the independence struggles of several Latin American countries, including Colombia.
Leaders at the Ibero-American Summit in the Dominican Republic pledged to cooperate on environmental issues while discussing the deepening humanitarian crisis in Haiti. Colombia's president, Gustavo Petro, is considering a constructive role for his country in Haiti. Meanwhile, leaders emphasized the need to address issues like the loss of biodiversity, pollution, soil degradation, and scarcity of water resources. They also called for regional collaboration on migration, recognizing it as one of the great regional challenges. The meeting of presidents and representatives from 22 countries comes as the region grapples with stubbornly high inflation and global concerns about the financial sector.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said that Colombia's economy is transitioning towards a more sustainable growth path, with tightened macroeconomic policies, slowing global growth, and higher borrowing costs being highlighted as factors driving this change. The IMF has praised the country's "decisive" monetary policy tightening, which it deemed consistent with targeting inflation. However, the fund has also warned that some downside risks persist and remain elevated. The IMF has also commended Colombia's commitment to maintaining a tight monetary stance until price pressures and inflation expectations are on a firm downward trend. Colombia's two-year, nearly $9.8 billion flexible credit line approved by the IMF in April has given the country "additional external buffers" and enhances its resilience.
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These are the trending news headlines in Colombia on Thursday March 16, 2023
In central Colombia, rescuers and miners worked against the clock to save ten workers trapped in a coal mine after an explosion killed at least 11 people. With oxygen running low, family members of the trapped miners waited outside the mine, hoping for good news. Over 100 rescuers were involved in the search, with Governor Nicolas Garcia calling it a "difficult" operation. The blast happened when accumulated gases in the mine were ignited by a spark from a worker's tool. Mining accidents are common in Colombia, especially at illegal digs, with poor working conditions and a lack of protective gear contributing to the problem. At least 130,000 people in Colombia make a legal living from mining.
Colombia is grappling with a unique problem: what to do with Pablo Escobar's hippo population? The drug lord imported four hippos to his zoo in the 1980s, but since his death in 1993, the feral herd has grown to about 80. Efforts to control their population have failed, and they have become a source of division and even danger for locals. Now, Colombia is considering a new strategy: shipping the hippos abroad. The plan has received criticism from some animal rights activists, but officials argue that it may be the only viable solution to the escalating problem.
Colombia's low-cost airline Viva Air has been accused of fraud by the country's transport minister, Guillermo Reyes, who filed a criminal complaint alleging that flight cancellations caused damages of at least $57.3 million. Viva Air, which suspended operations in February, is currently undergoing restructuring due to financial difficulties caused by the pandemic, fuel prices, and depreciation of the Colombian peso. The airline is awaiting a ruling on a proposed merger with Avianca, and Reyes alleges that it committed aggravated mass fraud and caused a disturbance of public transport. The superintendency of transportation is already investigating the airline over the cancellations.
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These are the trending news headlines in Colombia on Tuesday March 14, 2023
The Gulf Clan criminal group has been accused by President Gustavo Petro of violating a ceasefire agreement by attacking an aqueduct during protests by illegal gold miners. The protests resulted in roadblocks that affected up to 300,000 people across 12 municipalities in Colombia’s Antioquia and Cordoba provinces, causing shortages of fuel, food, and medicine. The Gulf Clan reached a truce with the government last year as part of Petro’s “total peace” plan to end nearly 60 years of armed conflict. However, negotiations between the government and illegal miners have not yet resulted in a deal, and the Gulf Clan continues to encourage attacks against medical facilities, vandalism, and roadblocks. Meanwhile, the military has stepped up operations to secure the region, blowing up four excavators used in illegal gold mining in the Cauca River over the weekend. The Gulf Clan is known to be behind a significant portion of the drugs exported from Colombia, the world’s largest producer of cocaine.
Bolivia and Colombia, two of the world's largest cocaine suppliers, are urging the United Nations to remove coca leaf from its list of prohibited substances. The countries argue that the leaf has many uses unrelated to narcotics, such as in teas and medicines, and that it is a fundamental part of their culture and Indigenous rights. However, the lengthy process requires the UN's World Health Organization to study coca's nonnarcotic benefits first. Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who backs the campaign, has criticized the US-backed war on drugs and its impact on poor coca farmers. While expectations were high, neither country has revealed their plans to propose the legalization of the coca leaf. Meanwhile, coca cultivation reached record highs last year, raising concerns about increased production and trafficking of cocaine.
Binance, the cryptocurrency exchange, is partnering with Mastercard to launch its prepaid card in Colombia. The Binance Card is issued by Movii and allows users in the country to make purchases and pay bills with cryptocurrencies. Colombia is the third country in Latin America to support the product, following releases in Argentina last year and Brazil in January. The card can be funded with any of the 12 supported cryptocurrencies and merchants will be paid in fiat. The card doesn't directly connect to Binance's customer account but can be managed via a dashboard on the exchange's app and website. Latin America is the world's fifth-largest region for cryptocurrency adoption.
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These are the trending news headlines in Colombia on Monday March 13, 2023
Venezuela has extradited former congresswoman Aida Merlano to Colombia to serve her 15-year prison sentence and act as a key witness in high-profile corruption cases. Merlano fled to Venezuela in 2019 after a jailbreak and has since testified against former Senate President Arturo Char, who is being investigated for vote-buying. Merlano has also made allegations of political corruption in Colombia, particularly in the Caribbean region. Her return is expected to expedite investigations into corruption practices of the Char Clan and their allies in politics. Merlano has claimed her prison break was coordinated by the Char Clan with the purpose of assassinating her.
Two Dead in Colombian Cocaine-Smuggling Mishap. During a recent drug interdiction operation, Colombian authorities discovered more than just a 2.6-tonne haul of cocaine hydrochloride. Two smugglers were found dead on board a 50-foot semisubmersible vessel off the country's Pacific coast. The Colombian Navy team found the bodies next to the cargo of drugs and the survivors, who were suffering from poor health, were taken for medical attention. The drug shipment, worth nearly $90 million, was bound for a transshipment hub in Central America. The fight against cocaine smuggling is an ongoing enterprise for US and allied forces.
In a surprising upset at the World Baseball Classic, Colombia's Guillermo Zuñiga shone in a David vs. Goliath moment, as his team shocked Mexico in extra innings, winning 5-4. This thrilling match overshadowed Mike Trout's striking out twice in Team USA's victory over Great Britain, which was far less surprising. Despite Trout's status as one of the best players in the majors, he was outmatched by pitchers who haven't been in the majors for years or who played in Single-A. However, this tournament often pits David against Goliath, and the unexpected matchups make it all the more exciting.
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These are the trending news headlines in Colombia on Friday March 10, 2023
Colombia and Ecuador have launched a joint security alert system to protect Indigenous and environmental activists near their shared border. This move comes as new data from the UN's Colombian office reveals that at least 116 activists were killed last year, up from 100 in 2021. The UN report also highlights a rise in massacres, defined as the killing of three or more people at once, from 78 in 2021 to 92 last year. Sadly, these deaths include that of José Albeiro Camayo Güetio, a co-founder of an Indigenous-led lands rights guard in the Cauca region. Violence continues to devastate parts of Colombia despite the 2016 peace agreement between the government and the largest guerrilla force, the Revolutionary Armed Forces. NGOs and UN experts attribute most assassinations to armed criminal groups that aim to take control of remote jungle areas for drug trafficking and other illegal activities. We must watch this situation closely, especially as the Colombian President Gustavo Petro seeks to establish ceasefires with armed groups and curb violence in rural areas.
Colombia's President Gustavo Petro has signed a law that will allow 5,000 head-of-household mothers who serve sentences for theft, narcotics cultivation, or trafficking to visit their homes for five days each week. This law aims to prevent their children from growing up without affection and becoming criminals. Petro stresses that the alternatives to imprisonment will reduce recidivism and prevent social and family ties from breaking. The act will apply only to women with sentences of less than eight years who provide unpaid services to their communities. This bill was previously rejected by the former president but was now passed by the Constitutional Court.
Colombia’s Civil Aviation Authority (Aerocivil) has given the green light for JetSMART to launch its Colombian branch, a new domestic airline that will operate 27 routes within the country using an Airbus A320neo fleet. JetSMART Colombia will be based in Bogota, and the company will immediately begin the certification process to comply with all the requirements in the shortest time possible. The approval allows JetSMART to launch 11 routes from Bogota El Dorado International Airport, and a maximum of 424 weekly flights across other airports in Colombia. This marks the company’s fourth domestic carrier in South America, with existing branches in Chile, Argentina, and Peru. JetSMART Colombia has three months to begin the process of obtaining its Air Operator Certificate.
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These are the trending news headlines in Colombia on Thursday March 2, 2023
Declassified CIA report reveals Colombia's army was behind the "narco-terrorism" that plagued Medellin in the 1980s, contradicting decades of government propaganda. According to the report, local authorities were behind many of the assassinations and massacres in Medellin from the mid-80s to the early 2000s. The terror campaign was coordinated by the 4th Brigade's intelligence chief, lieutenant colonel Plinio Correa, and carried out by members of intelligence units B2 and the 10th Brigade. The report also mentions the involvement of an unidentified private right-wing paramilitary group, and a former cartel associate known as "Rambo," who would later form the terrorist group "Los Pepes." The report sheds light on a dark period in Colombia's history and challenges long-standing beliefs about the source of violence in Medellin.
Colombia has made history by hosting its first-ever court hearing in the metaverse, marking a new milestone for the virtual world. The administrative court of Magdalena held a court session from the metaverse on February 15th to hear a case against the Colombian Ministry of Defence and the National Police. The court magistrate accepted a direct request from the plaintiff to hold the public audience in the metaverse. During the hearing, the magistrate highlighted that the metaverse allowed for “a real interaction” and was aimed at making procedural cases more efficient. The hearing was streamed live on Youtube and watched by over 68 thousand people. The Colombian courtroom hosted the legal session in Horizon Workrooms 18, the free virtual collaborative application developed by Meta.
A man who survived for almost a month lost at sea by eating ketchup is getting a new boat from Heinz. The US ketchup manufacturer launched the #FindtheKetchupBoatGuy campaign on social media, which quickly went viral. Elvis François was eventually found and rescued, but his old boat had been abandoned. Now Heinz has made contact with him to buy him a new sailing vessel, and they are currently working out the details. François survived by eating Heinz ketchup, garlic powder, and rainwater collected with a cloth. He also scrawled “help” on his boat’s hull.
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These are the trending news headlines in Colombia on Wednesday March 1, 2023
Low-cost airline Viva Air has suspended its operations in Colombia and Peru, leaving thousands of passengers stranded in airports with little support. The airline, owned by the same group that owns Ryanair, grounded its flights after Colombian authorities delayed approving its requested merger with Avianca, Colombia’s main carrier. Viva claims it has given plenty of evidence of its dire financial situation and that it can continue only if it merges with the larger airline. Viva and Avianca last year requested a permit to merge, but the deal has faced obstacles from government regulators who fear it could restrict competition in the airline market. Dozens of angry passengers protested outside Viva’s counters at airports in Bogota and Medellin, where they briefly blocked access to the international departures terminal.
In Colombia, the Federation of Educators (FECODE) has announced protests and a list of demands for teachers on February 28th. The demands will be presented to the Ministry of Education, accompanied by mobilizations in various areas of the country from 10:00 am. The list of demands includes the defense of public education with adequate infrastructure, transportation, and connectivity, as well as the dignification of the teaching profession and reform of the General System of Participation. FECODE seeks to improve teaching standards in Colombia.
A former financial advisor for Vanguard has been charged with the murder of his girlfriend, a popular DJ, in Bogota, Colombia. John Poulos was caught in Panama on his way to Turkey, and has been fired from Vanguard Advisors and stripped of his Certified Financial Planner designation. According to reports, Poulos flew to Colombia on Jan. 19, rented a place with Trespalacios, and was planning on marrying her. Her body was later discovered in a trash can near El Dorado International Airport in Bogota. Prosecutors claim Poulos strangled Trespalacios, beat her and dumped her body in the trash can. Poulos has been seen in court footage leaving the apartment with a large suitcase and later removing something from a car and placing it in the trash can.
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These are the trending news headlines in Colombia on Tuesday Feb 28, 2023
Colombia is set to participate in the 52nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, which begins today in Geneva, Switzerland. The country's mission will take the approach of "Total Peace" to address violence and achieve justice in social, environmental, and economic spheres. Colombia's participation in this forum demonstrates its commitment to respecting and guaranteeing human rights, while also presenting national interests to the international community and seeking opportunities for collaboration with other countries. The Human Rights Council, an intergovernmental body of the UN, consists of 47 member states and aims to strengthen the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide.
The Superintendence of Finance reports that women have a greater presence in oversight and control positions in private entities, according to data collected from supervised entities. The overall figures show that women make up 30.84% of senior management and control bodies in the private sector, with higher representation in financial audit, compliance officers, and consumer advocates. Brokerage firms have the highest quota for women at 66% in those positions, while financial cooperatives show 80% of women in financial audit and compliance officer roles and 100% of women in the consumer advocate position. However, women still have little representation in top positions in the public sector, according to the report. These findings are particularly relevant as the Par Ranking, which evaluates gender equality in the business sector in Colombia, is about to be published.
In some Colombian prisons, inmates can obtain certain benefits, such as choosing their own cell or accessing illegal technology. According to Fernando Tamayo Arboleda, professor and director of the Prison Group at the Legal Clinic of the University of the Andes, this is due to corruption, security and governance issues, and the precarious conditions of the prisons themselves. Tamayo explains that corruption reaches even to judges and officials responsible for making decisions about confinement, while the conditions within the prisons replicate the social inequalities and stratification present outside. Precarious conditions make it easier for political, economic, or social power to benefit some inmates, who may even profit from the needs of others.
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These are some of the Trending news in Colombia on Thursday February 23rd, 2023.
In Colombia, recent violence has impeded efforts to de-mine the country, putting rural populations at risk. Armed groups have scattered thousands of explosive devices across rural areas over the last six decades of conflict. The conflict has entered a new phase as armed groups have proliferated, and reports suggest that more landmines are being sown into Colombia's soil, putting civilian populations increasingly at risk. Colombia had hoped to destroy all mines by December 2025, and the country has made significant progress, but the deadline is likely to pass without the country achieving its goal, said Pablo Parra, director of the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) in Colombia.
Colombia's Ambassador Assad Jater presented his credentials to the Estonian Head of State in Tallinn on February 21, 2023. After the ceremony, the Ambassador met with President Alar Karis to discuss Colombia's foreign policy priorities and interest in promoting bilateral relations. The countries hope to work together on e-governance, cybersecurity, trade, and investment issues.
According to a recent study, cattle-ranching, not cocaine, has been the main cause of the destruction of the Colombian Amazon over the past four decades. In 2018, the amount of forest cleared to cultivate coca, the base ingredient of cocaine, was only 1/60th of that used for cattle. The study’s findings vindicate conservation experts who have argued that Colombia’s strategy to conserve the Amazon by focusing on combating coca production has been misplaced. Deforestation spiked after the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia signed a peace agreement with the government in 2016, and land-grabbers took advantage, clearing trees with chainsaws and burning vast areas. While President Duque used coca cultivation to justify stepping up military action against coca farmers, the impact of cattle ranching on deforestation was much greater.
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These are some of the Trending news in Colombia on Wednesday February 22nd, 2023.
Colombia's government is set to begin talks with two dissident groups founded by former FARC rebels who reject the 2016 peace deal. The country's top peace official has said that the initial phase of coming together and building confidence is expected to be completed in the coming weeks, leading to the start of the dialogue phase. The government has already resumed peace talks with the National Liberation Army rebels and agreed on ceasefires with two FARC dissident factions. President Gustavo Petro has pledged to end Colombia's 60-year conflict with remaining rebels and crime gangs and fully implement the accord with FARC.
Two earthquakes hit the department of Boyacá in Colombia, only two minutes apart. The first, with a magnitude of 3.9, struck the town of Campohermoso at 6:25 pm on February 18, while the second, with a magnitude of 2.5, hit Macanal just two minutes later. No damage or casualties have been reported. This comes after another tremor was recorded on the same morning, with a magnitude of 3.2 and a depth of 148 km. While the earthquakes have caused concern among the public, no damage has been reported so far.
Over half a million Colombians emigrated from the country last year due to the economic situation, according to a study by the Conflict Analysis Resource Center (Cerac). This figure, which is more than double the annual average since 2012, is a historic high. The migratory wave coincided with increased availability of Covid-19 vaccines and lower levels of contagion. The rise in the exchange rate is another reason cited, as it provides an opportunity to earn in dollars and send remittances to family members. With the trend towards an economic slowdown, the study center anticipates that the migratory trend could increase. Last year, the peso was one of the most devalued currencies in the world, with the Representative Market Rate exceeding $5,000.
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These are some of the Trending news in Colombia on Tuesday February 23rd, 2023.
China has been accused of using surveillance balloons for espionage activities in Colombia. A mysterious Chinese balloon was spotted floating at 55,000 feet in Colombia's airspace in February. The Colombian defense establishment insisted that the balloon posed no threat to the country's sovereignty or air security. However, the Pentagon stated that the balloon was deployed by China for surveillance purposes, and it sent a message to the United States that they are surrounded in the north and south. The Colombian government plans to investigate the origin of the balloon but has not yet made a statement on the matter. Meanwhile, some more aggressive critics of China in the US have alleged that Chinese spies are active in Colombia. Other countries, including Russia and Iran, have also been involved in espionage activities in Colombia.
If you missed it, Colombia’s mafia hired a Spanish PR firm to erase their criminal past from Google. Among the clients of the firm, Eliminalia, are former Medellin Cartel members Juan Gonzalo Angel and his brother Luis Guillermo. The Spanish firm threatened to sue Colombia Reports if they failed to rectify a 2020 article on the involvement of Colombia’s civil aviation agency in the international drug trade. Colombia Reports has evidence to sustain every single claim made in that article. According to newspaper El Espectador, the Angel brothers paid Eliminalia 13,000 euro to seek the deletion of the Colombia Reports article and 49 other online news reports referring to their criminal past.
General Motors is considering making Colombia the first country in Latin America to build their electric vehicles, according to Shilpan Amin, President of General Motors International. During a visit to GM's Colmotores plant in Bogota, Amin was encouraged by Colombia's government commitment to the energy transition. The visit also coincided with "Car Free Day," highlighting the country's dedication to alternative mobility. GM's visit ended with the question of whether Colombia could become the first Latin American country to assemble their EVs. This has caused a stir in the country, as it has never had a large car-manufacturing base and lost one of its three vehicle assembly plants during the past decade.
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