Colombia

Human rights office urges Colombia to suspend airstrikes after child deaths

Colombia's human rights ombudswoman called on President Gustavo Petro Monday to suspend airstrikes against rebel groups in the South American country, after revealing that at least five teenagers had been killed in strikes conducted by Colombia's military in October and November. In a video published Monday, human rights ombudswoman Iris Marn said that at least one teenager, a female, was killed in a strike against the FARC-EMC rebel group in Arauca province last week, while four teenagers who had been forcibly recruited by the group were killed in another strike in the first week of October. On Saturday, Marn had revealed that seven minors were killed in another strike against the FARC-EMC in the southern province of Guaviare, where the government has launched an offensive against Nestor Gregorio Vera, a powerful rebel leader known also as Ivn Mordisco. That means that at least 12 minors have been killed this year in airstrikes conducted by Colombia's government. Military prosecut

Trump threatens Latin America with military action but US strategy unclear

The comments - which hit the Mexican peso - echo remarks he's made in the past about potentially using force to seize Greenland and take back the Panama Canal

Colombia to suspend intelligence ties with US over strikes on drug vessels

Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered his nation's security forces Tuesday to stop sharing intelligence with the United States, until the Trump administration stops its strikes on suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean, as relations deteriorate between the nations that were once close partners in the fight against drug trafficking. In a message on X, Petro wrote that Colombia's military must immediately ends communications and other agreements with U.S. security agencies" until the U.S. ceases its attacks on speedboats suspected of carrying drugs, that critics have likened to extrajudicial executions. Petro wrote that the fight against drugs must be subordinated to the human rights of the Caribbean people. It wasn't immediately clear what kind of information Colombia will stop sharing with the United States. At least 75 people have been killed by the U.S. military in strikes in international waters since August, according to figures supplied by the Trump administration. The

US imposes sanctions on Colombian Prez, his family over drug trade claims

The Trump administration imposed sanctions Friday on Colombian President Gustavo Petro, his family and a member of his government over accusations of involvement in the global drug trade, sharply escalating tensions with the leftist leader of one of the closest US allies in South America. The Treasury Department levelled the penalties against Petro; his wife, Veronica del Socorro Alcocer Garcia; his son, Nicolas Fernando Petro Burgos; and Colombian Interior Minister Armando Alberto Benedetti. Petro has allowed drug cartels to flourish and refused to stop this activity, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. President Trump is taking strong action to protect our nation and make clear that we will not tolerate the trafficking of drugs into our nation. The move ramps up a growing clash between the Republican US president and Colombia's first leftist leader, notably over deadly American strikes on alleged drug-carrying boats off South America. This week, the Trump ...

Colombia's foreign minister 'renounces' US visa in protest as tensions rise

Colombia's foreign minister has renounced her US visa to protest a decision by the US State department to revoke the visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro, the Colombian government said on Monday. The decision by Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio comes as tensions between both nations escalate over issues that include drug policy, the war in Gaza and a US naval build up in neighbouring Venezuela. While Colombia's Foreign Affairs Ministry did not respond to questions about what kind of visa Villavicencio was a holder of, it said in a statement that it was not interested in diplomatic visas that limit opinions" or curtail the nation's sovereignty. The US State Department revoked President Petro's visa on Friday after he participated in a New York protest against the war in Gaza, in which Petro called for the creation of an international army to liberate the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Holding a megaphone and wearing a keffiyeh, the traditional Palestinian scarf, Petro called

US to revoke Colombian President Gustavo Petro's visa for 'reckless' acts

The move marks an escalation in tensions between the two countries since US President Donald Trump "decertified" Colombia this month in America's fight against drug trafficking

Rahul Gandhi begins South America visit; set to meet leaders, students

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has embarked on a visit to four South American countries, where he is expected to interact with political leaders, students, and businessmen. Congress' media and publicity department, in charge, Pawan Khera, informed this without disclosing how many days Gandhi will be out of the country. "Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Shri Rahul Gandhi, has embarked on a visit to South America. He is scheduled to engage with political leaders, university students, and members of the business community across four countries," Khera said in his post on X. According to the Congress, Gandhi will visit Brazil and Colombia, where he is expected to interact with university students. He will hold meetings with presidents and senior leaders across multiple countries, strengthening democratic and strategic ties, the party said. Gandhi will engage with business leaders to explore opportunities as India seeks to diversify trade and partnerships in the

US drops Colombia as drug war partner, puts it on rogue nation list: Petro

The move is likely to hit foreign investment, multilateral funding and tourism, as a long-time ally of Washington now finds itselfin the same rogue category as Venezuela, Bolivia and Myanmar

Car bomb, helicopter attack in Colombia kill 17, including police officers

A car bomb and a separate attack on a police helicopter in Colombia killed at least 17 people Thursday, according to authorities. President Gustavo Petro attributed both attacks to dissidents of the defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, commonly known as FARC. At least 12 police officers died in the attack on a helicopter that according to authorities was transporting personnel to an area in Antioquia in northern Colombia, to eradicate coca leaf crops, the raw material for cocaine. Petro had reported initially eight officers killed, but Antioquia Gov. Andrs Julin said four others died later and three remain injured. The Antioquia governor had said on X that a drone attacked the helicopter as it flew over coca leaf crops. Colombian Defence Minister Pedro Snchez said preliminary information indicates the attack caused a fire in the aircraft. Meanwhile, authorities in the southwest city of Cali reported that a vehicle loaded with explosives detonated near a military aviation

Brazil, Poland, Africa may offer export opportunities for auto parts makers

Indian manufacturers can significantly expand their exports, particularly in the independent aftermarket segment amid US tariffs, says EY report

Colombian ex-President Uribe sentenced to 12 yrs house arrest for bribery

Former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe was sentenced Friday to 12 years of house arrest for witness tampering and bribery in a historic case that gripped the South American nation and tarnished the conservative strongman's legacy. The sentence, which Uribe said will be appealed, followed a nearly six-month trial in which prosecutors presented evidence that he attempted to influence witnesses who accused the law-and-order leader of having links to a paramilitary group in the 1990s. Uribe, 73, faced up to 12 years in prison after being convicted on Monday. He has denied any wrongdoing and characterised the case as political persecution. Ahead of Friday's sentencing hearing, Uribe posted on X that he was preparing arguments to support his appeal. He added that one must think much more about the solution than the problem during personal crises. The former president governed from 2002 to 2010 with strong support from the United States. He is a polarising figure in Colombia, where many

US recalls top diplomat in Colombia as tensions with President Petro rise

The Trump administration on Thursday recalled its top diplomat in Colombia for urgent consultations after recent comments from Colombia's president appearing to question the US position on an alleged plan to remove him from office. The US State Department said Thursday that the charge d'affaires at the US embassy in Bogota, John McNamara, would be returning to Washington following baseless and reprehensible statements from the highest levels of the government of Colombia. Colombian President Gustavo Petro responded in kind, recalling Colombia's ambassador to Washington for consultation. He said he wants to talk to Amb. Daniel Garca Pea about progress on Colombia's priorities in the bilateral relationship. US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said in statement that the administration would also be pursuing other measures to make clear our deep concern over the current state of our bilateral relationship. The statement did not elaborate on the reasons for the recall. Petro has

Colombia prez bypasses lawmakers, issues decree for vote on labour reform

Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Wednesday bypassed legislative opposition and signed a decree summoning voters to the polls in August to decide changes to the country's labour laws, including whether work days should be limited to eight hours. The decree fulfilled Petro's threat to Congress to put his labour system overhaul before voters should senators not approve the 12-question referendum themselves. He issued the measure in a tense political climate following the Saturday shooting of opposition senator and presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay during a public event. The referendum has become the crux of long-running tensions between the executive and legislative branches. After Congress rejected Petro's labour reform twice, most recently in March, he sent lawmakers a 12-question referendum proposal on May 1 as Colombian law requires that the Senate rule on the advisability of referendums. The legislative body two weeks later voted 49-47 against the measure, prompting .

Colombian prez candidate Uribe remains critical following assassination bid

Miguel Uribe, a conservative Colombian presidential hopeful, was in critical condition on Monday after being shot in the head from close range during a rally over the weekend. In a statement, doctors said the 39-year-old senator had "barely" responded to medical interventions that included brain surgery following the assassination attempt that has had a chilling effect on the South American nation. Uribe was shot on Saturday as he addressed a small crowd of people who had gathered in a park in Bogota's Modelia neighbourhood. On Sunday hundreds of people gathered outside the hospital where Uribe is being treated to pray for his recovery. Some carried rosaries in their hands, while others chanted slogans against President Gustavo Petro. "This is terrible," said Walter Jimenez, a lawyer who showed up outside the hospital with a sign calling for Petro's removal. "It feels like we are going back to the 1990s," he said, referring to a decade during which drug cartels and rebel groups ...

Colombian prez candidate Miguel Uribe critical after assassination bid

The 39-year-old candidate from the opposition Centro Democratico party was taken to a medical center in the Colombian capital, Semana reported

'Disappointed': Shashi Tharoor on Colombia's stand on Pak deaths after Op Sindoor | India-Pakistan

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, leading a global delegation, says Colombia erred in expressing condolences for Pakistani deaths instead of victims of terrorism after Operation Sindoor. Watch the video to

Venezuela bans flights from Colombia following arrests in anti-govt plot

Venezuela on Monday banned the arrival of flights from neighboring Colombia after authorities detained more than 30 people who were allegedly plotting activities to destabilize the country ahead of Sunday's election. The arrests were announced just as an independent panel of experts backed by the Organization of American States released a report documenting serious human rights abuses in Venezuela as the government tightened its grip on dissent after the July 28 presidential election. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello on state television said the flight ban was immediate and would last beyond Sunday, when voters across the country are expected to elect governors and National Assembly members. But Colombia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement said Venezuela's government had notified it that flights would resume the day after the election. Cabello said the anti-government plans involved placing explosives at embassies and other facilities in Venezuela. He said authorities had

Colombia applies to join China-led Brics bank amid shift from US ties

Colombia's government has applied to join a China-based development bank, another sign of Latin America's drift away from the US as the Trump administration's foreign aid cuts, trade barriers and crackdown on immigration spurs many leaders in the region to seek closer ties with Washington's geopolitical rival. Colombian President Gustavo Petro wrapped up a visit to China this week with a stop in Shanghai, where he met with former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, the head of the New Development Bank. The multilateral lender was set up a decade ago as a project of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa the BRICS nations of major developing markets as a counter to US-dominated institutions like the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank. To date, the New Development Bank has approved loans for 122 infrastructure projects totalling more than USD 40 billion in areas such as transport, sanitation and clean energy, according to Rousseff. Petro, speaking to reporters in

Colombian lawmakers reject president's labour reform referendum

Lawmakers in Colombia on Wednesday once again blocked President Gustavo Petro's efforts to overhaul the country's labour laws, this time by rejecting a referendum that would have asked voters whether workdays should be limited to eight hours and whether workers should receive double pay if they work during holidays. Petro asked Congress earlier this month to approve the 12-question referendum to give voters a chance to decide on the changes that lawmakers themselves had already rejected twice. He had warned lawmakers against blocking the referendum, saying before thousands of people gathered for a Labour Day demonstration on May 1 that if they did not approve it, Colombians would punish them at the polls during the 2026 legislative elections. After an intense debate Wednesday, 49 senators voted against the measure and 47 in favour. Petro, Colombia's first leftist president, characterised the vote as fraudulent. He has repeatedly accused lawmakers of blocking his social initiatives a

Colombian rebel group starts handing over arms as peace talks progress

A rebel group called the Commoners of the South has begun handing its weapons over to Colombia's government, the Defense Ministry said Saturday, as part of peace talks expected to lead to the group's disarmament in the coming months. The group of about 250 fighters operates in Colombia's Southwestern Nario province and has been in negotiations with the government since last year. This is a historic moment, Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez said in a ceremony in the town of Pasto, where several accords with the group were outlined by officials. Sanchez said that over the past two days, the Commoners of the South have handed over land mines, grenades and rockets to an army unit that is destroying them. Farmers will be able to walk without the fear of coming across a minefield, Sanchez said. Until recently, the Commoners of the South was part of the National Liberation Army, or ELN, a group of about 6,000 fighters that is still fighting Colombia's government. In May last year, the Comm