Colombia News Headlines

Al Jazeera reports on a displacement crisis in Catatumbo, Colombia, sparked by renewed conflict between rebel groups.  This violence, occurring despite a 2016 peace agreement with FARC, has forced tens of thousands to flee their homes, overwhelming resources in areas like Cucuta.  The displaced face food shortages and uncertainty about returning, straining humanitarian aid efforts. &nbsp...

PS News reports that a Cape York man has been arrested in Colombia.  The individual, in his 50s and employed by a council contractor, was allegedly caught with 3.5 kilograms of cocaine while attempting to depart the country.  Authorities believe the man has made multiple trips between Colombia and Dubai in recent months.  The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing cons...

Colombian senators are proposing new regulations for the cryptocurrency industry, aiming to protect users and foster investment.  The proposed bill seeks to establish a VASP operating permit system to ensure compliance with AML/CFT protocols.  Lawmakers believe current lack of regulation creates risks for consumers and enables misuse of cryptoassets.  They want to create a more reli...

Chinese state-backed companies have significantly increased investments in Colombian infrastructure projects  since trade deals were established between 2008 and 2019.  These investments encompass critical sectors , including ports, highways, mining, energy, and public transportation systems like metro lines and light rail.  Concerns arise from the secretive nature of these deals ,...

Colombia's war crimes tribunal (JEP) has indicted 39 army officials, including four generals, for their involvement in the extrajudicial killings of 442 civilians in Antioquia between 2004 and 2007.  These killings were driven by a "body count policy" that incentivised soldiers to present civilians as guerrillas killed in combat.  Commanders allegedly dismissed complaints about the killi...

We examine Colombia's neutral stance three years into the Russia-Ukraine war.  Despite officially remaining neutral under President Petro, the piece highlights the historical context of initial condemnation under previous leadership.  It notes that approximately 2,000 Colombian mercenaries are fighting for Ukraine, often driven by economic hardship.  The article acknowledges Petro's...

The trial of former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has resumed after a court rejected a defence request to remove the judge.  Uribe is accused of fabricating charges against individuals who linked him to the AUC paramilitary group, allegedly using bribed witnesses.  Evidence suggests Uribe's defence team attempted to delay proceedings and were held in contempt of court.  Testimony...

Feb 10, 2025: Gustavo Petro, the President of Colombia, has created upheaval within his government by requesting the resignation of his entire cabinet.  This request follows public criticism of his ministers' performance and disagreements over recent appointments, including Laura Sarabia as foreign minister.  Tensions were already high due to Petro's standoff with US President Donald Tru...

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 th...

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-Swi...

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" f...

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 depart...

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...

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 ca...

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. Presid...

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...

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 bul...

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 bec...

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 Governo...

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...

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-bu...

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 massa...

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 cam...

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 mai...

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...