Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced Sunday that his government suspended the ceasefire with the EMC group of rebels in the departments of Nariño, Cauca and Valle del Cauca. The announcement comes a day after the rebel group attacked an indigenous community in the country. An armed group on Saturday shot an indigenous guard in Toribío, [...]
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Colombia initiates peace talks with Second Marquetalia armed group
Colombia’s Office of the High Commissioner for Peace issued a joint statement on Friday with the Second Marquetalia, formally initiating a dialogue aimed at achieving a peace agreement with the armed group. This initiative is in line with the peace policy established by the Total Peace Law promoted by Colombian President Gustavo Petro. The law [...]
Colombia and National Liberation Army extend bilateral ceasefire for six months
The Colombian government and the rebel National Liberation Army (ELN) Tuesday agreed to extend their landmark truce for 180 days. The truce, called the Bilateral, National and Temporary Ceasefire, was previously extended by one week on January 30 2024, while each side continued ongoing peace talks. In addition to the extension, the peace process is [...]
Colombia government and ELN rebels extend ceasefire for 7 days
On Monday, the Colombian government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) announced that they would extend the current ceasefire by a week. Meanwhile, delegates from both sides continue to discuss policies that could ensure a longer period of peace. The statement says: Taking into account that today, January 29, 2024, the CFBNT (bilateral, national and [...]
Colombia ombudsman's office reports 181 activist murders in 2023
The Colombian Ombudsman’s Office (DPC) reported Tuesday that 181 social leaders and human rights defenders were murdered in 2023. The figure dropped 16 percent from the data reported for 2022. The ombudsman’s office, in its “Annual report on the killings of social leaders and human rights defenders,” highlighted the alarming situation faced by individuals dedicated [...]
US prosecutors connect Venezuela military and oil company to drug trafficking in federal trial
The federal trial of Carlos Orense Azocar (Orense) began this week, where he faces accusations of shipping tens of thousands of kilograms of cocaine into the United States with suspected ties between Venezuelan oil and military leaders. With certain court documents sealed, Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press had access to the courtroom on Monday. [...]
Colombia’s Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) tribunal said Wednesday that at least 35,178 people have suffered sexual, gender and reproductive violence during Colombia’s armed conflict. The JEP was created under the 2016 Peace Accord, between the state and the now demobilized FARC, as the justice component of the Comprehensive System of Truth, Justice, Reparation and [...]
Colombia records highest number of environmental defender killings in 2022
Colombia recorded the world’s highest number of environmental defender killings in 2022, with 60 individuals murdered, according to a report released on Tuesday by activist organization Global Witness. According to Global Witness, which has been documenting environmental defender deaths since 2012, the number of environmental defenders murdered in Colombia nearly doubled in 2022, compared to [...]
Facundo Molares, an independent photojournalist and committed left-wing activist associated with the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), died Thursday when he suffered a heart attack while in police custody. The incident occurred during his participation in protests organized by various left-wing factions as a prelude to the national primary elections. Molares’ heart attack [...]
Colombia suspends truce with armed rebel group after 4 indigenous children killed
Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced Monday that Colombia is suspending a truce with the Estado Mayor Central (EMC) rebel group in flashpoint regions–including Meta, Guaviare, Putumayo and Caqueta–after the group killed four indigenous children. EMC is an offshoot of the now-disbanded Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). It consists of leftist guerrilla fighters who refused [...]