Bombing in Colombia injures 11, days before presidential inauguration

"At least 11 people were injured Saturday when a truck packed with explosives detonated next to a Colombian police station near the border with Venezuela, six days before President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella's inauguration.

AFP reporters saw the vehicle in flames, damaged building facades and police, and soldiers and residents gathering around the scene of the attack in the northern city of Cucuta. After the blast, local security officials confirmed the number of injured.
"At this time, we have eight police officers and three civilians who have been injured," George Quintero, security secretary for the department of Norte de Santander where the attack occurred, told reporters. "This was an atrocious, violent act ... and what happened is regrettable."
De la Espriella condemned the bombing "in the strongest terms," adding "terrorism will not intimidate Colombia."
The right-wing de la Espriella will take office on Aug. 7 in the city of Cali, succeeding Gustavo Petro, the first leftist president in the country's history.
With the support of President Donald Trump, the millionaire lawyer promised to intensify the fight against guerrillas and other drug-trafficking organizations fueling the country's worst wave of violence in a decade." msn

Trump-backed lawyer wins Colombia’s presidential election

"Right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella has narrowly won Colombia’s presidential election, according to an initial vote count, as voters bet on his promise of a crackdown on crime and a stronger economy.
De La Espriella had 49.66 per cent of the vote while his rival, Senator Ivan Cepeda, trailed by some 250,000 votes at 48.70 per cent, according to the national registrar’s tally of just under 100 per cent of ballots in the runoff ⁠election." msn

Drone attacks raise fears as Colombians vote to elect a new president

"Gladys Marín only has to cross the street to reach a school where polling stations will open Sunday in her small town in Colombia. But she's still not sure she'll make the short walk, because fears for her safety could outweigh the chance to vote for the country’s next president.
Her home in the southwestern village of Potrerito sits less than 100 meters (320 feet) from the

police station, which has become a frequent target for drone-dropped explosives. Authorities blame the attacks on a rebel faction that rejected a peace agreement signed a decade ago with the Colombian government.
Colombia will elect a new president and vice president on May 31 in what has been cast as a referendum on President Gustavo Petro’s policies, most notably his controversial “total peace” initiative to negotiate with the country’s remaining rebel groups.
By most accounts, violence tied to armed groups has worsened under Petro's watch.
According to Colombia's Electoral Observation Mission, 386 municipalities, or about a third of the country, are vulnerable to violence from illegal armed groups, and data from the Ideas for Peace Foundation think tank indicates that roughly 27,000 people remain under arms nationwide." msn

Flaming mud volcano eruption damages infrastructure and kills animals in San Juan de Urabá, Colombia

"A mud volcano erupted in San Juan de Urabá, Antioquia Department, Colombia, damaging a municipal facility and nearby roads. The eruption killed several animals and scorched vegetation before authorities established a security perimeter around the site." W

Maduro "Effed Around & Found Out"; Trump Says 'We Will Run Venezuela' Until Safe Transition After Operation 'Absolute Resolve'

"Operation 'Absolute Resolve': US forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in an early morning raid and sent him to the US to face criminal charges.

No servicemembers or military equipment was lost
US Attorney General Pam Bondi said on X that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted.
Trump: "We're going to stay [in Venezuela] until such time as the proper transition can take place.”
Caine: "Operation Absolute Resolve, was discreet, precise, and conducted during the darkest hours of January 2nd"
Hegseth: Maduro "effed around and found out"
Trump: "[Colombia's Pedro] is making cocaine and they're sending it into the United States, so he does have to watch his ass,"
Rubio: "if I were in power in Cuba, I'd be very worried right now"
Maduro has arrived on US soil." ZeroHedge

5.5 Earthquake - 27 km south of Piedecuesta, Departamento de Santander, Colombia

"A strong magnitude 5.5 earthquake hit 27 km (17 mi) away from Piedecuesta, Departamento de Santander, Colombia, in the early morning at 3.27 am local time (America/Bogota GMT -5). The quake had a moderate depth of 157 km (98 mi) and was felt over a large region." VD

Colombian Police: Communist Terror Group FARC Likely Killed Conservative Presidential Frontrunner

"Law enforcement officials in Colombia announced on Tuesday the arrest of the ninth suspect in the assassination of conservative presidential frontrunner Sen. Miguel Uribe Turbay, noting that the latest evidence indicates that the communist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) were involved in the planning of the killing.

Uribe, a candidate representing the Democratic Center political coalition, was on top of polls for the 2026 presidential election when he was shot in the head while leaving a campaign event on June 7. The person arrested on site for firing the gun was a boy between 14 and 15 years old. Uribe survived in intensive care until his passing in August; he was 39 years old.
The boy shooter is currently in police custody and not believed to have acted independently. Police have arrested nine people in relation to the attack; the latest, arrested this week, was identified as Simeón Pérez Marroquín, a criminal using the alias “El Viejo,” or “The Old Man.”
William Rincón, the director of Colombia’s National Police, said in press remarks on Tuesday that “El Viejo” appeared to be a liaison between the group that organizing the assassination and the FARC, a communist, U.S.-designated terrorist organization." Breitbart

Strong mag. 5.4 Earthquake - 5 km N of Uramita, Colombia

"A strong magnitude 5.4 earthquake hit 20 km (13 mi) away from Frontino, Antioquia, Colombia, in the early morning at 2.12 am local time (GMT -5). The quake had a shallow depth of 50 km (31 mi) and was felt over a large region. The shallow depth of the quake caused it to be felt more strongly near the epicenter than a deeper quake of similar magnitude would." VD

Colombia Hit by 6.5 Quake in a Startling Wake-Up Call

"A powerful 6.5 quake shakes Colombia, serving as a stark reminder of nature's unpredictability." msn

Death toll from rain-fuelled landslide in Colombia rises

"At least 11 people have been killed and 15 remain missing after a landslide in the city of

Bello in Colombia’s northwest, according to authorities.
Evacuation orders and rescue efforts continue a day after the landslide, with government officials warning that heavy rains pose an ongoing threat to the area around Medellin, Colombia’s second-largest city.
Floodwaters overwhelmed local waterways during the early morning hours while residents were asleep.
A wave of mud surged through Bello, a crowded community in the hills above Medellin, burying about a dozen homes, sweeping away cars and leaving behind piles of debris.
Rescue workers have used dogs, drones and other means to search for the missing." AlJazeera

Colombian presidential hopeful shot in head

"Colombian senator and presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay was attacked and critically wounded during a campaign rally in Bogota on Saturday.

The 39-year-old lawmaker from the right-wing Democratic Center party was meeting supporters when he was shot in the head at around 5pm local time, according to a party statement. He was transported to a hospital in critical condition. One suspect was arrested at the scene.
Uribe, a vocal critic of the current administration, announced his candidacy for the 2026 presidential election earlier this year. The incident marks one of the most serious attacks on a national political figure in Colombia in decades." RT

Colombia’s President Refutes Rumors He Wrote Anti-Trump Rant While He Was Drunk

"Far-left President of Colombia Gustavo Petro on Monday refuted claims that he was in a state of inebriation when he published a late-night social media message that caused a short-lived diplomatic crisis with the United States on Sunday.
In an extensive rant, Petro accused President Donald Trump of racism for his plan to curtail illegal immigration, but not without asking him to share a glass of whisky to discuss the dangers of fossil fuels. Trump famously abstains from consuming alcohol.

“How much has our press degraded to believe that dignity is drunkenness? The cipayos [pejorative term used in South America to describe someone at the service of “foreign interests”] are the expression of a mental degradation, to let thought be colonized is worse than the physical colonization of a foreign power over the territory,” Petro wrote on Twitter.
Petro’s message is a direct response to Colombian journalist Luis Carlos Vélez, who resides in Miami. On Monday, Vélez publicly asked outgoing Foreign Minister Luis Murillo and his upcoming successor Laura Sarabia, “in the most respectful way,” where and under what conditions Petro was when he started feuding with the United States.
The Colombian president issued the comments after local journalists and politicians questioned Petro’s sobriety at the time he posted the roughly 3:41 a.m. (local time) tweet that sparked the diplomatic crisis with the United States.
Petro, a former member of the Marxist M19 terrorist guerrilla and Colombia’s first leftist president in the nation’s history, is known for single-handedly plunging Colombia into diplomatic problems with historically friendly nations such as Israel.
On Sunday, Petro caused a hours-long diplomatic crisis with the United States after he abruptly refused to accept a U.S. deportation flight of Colombians scheduled to arrive later that day. Petro justified his decision in a late-night post on the grounds that the United States treats “Colombian migrants as criminals.”
Minutes before refusing the arrival of the plane with deportees, Petro, in a now-deleted post, stated that the deportees were to be welcomed “with flags and flowers.” Petro deleted the post and, roughly 30 minutes later, published the message where he refused to allow the plane to land in Colombia.
President Donald Trump responded to Petro’s actions with a barrage of retaliatory measures, including a 25-percent tariff and visa sanctions on Colombian government officials. Petro replied in a long, incoherent Twitter rant.
Petro ultimately caved hours after his rant and “agreed to all” of President Trump’s terms. A Colombian delegation led by outgoing Foreign Minister Luis Murillo is set to travel to Washington, DC, at a later date to resolve the Petro-caused diplomatic crisis." Breitbart

Colombia’s Petro Backs Down: Sending Personal Plane to Pick Up Migrants After Trump Announced Sanctions

"Colombian President Gustavo Petro backed down on his declaration that he would not accept deportation flights from the United States. He now says he will send his presidential plane to personally pick up the deported migrants.

The Colombian president’s backpedaling came after President Donald Trump announced he would impose numerous sanctions—including “emergency 25% tariffs”—on Colombia in response to Petro’s reversal of his promise to accept deportation flights.
On Sunday, Petro — who initially said he would accept deportation flights from the U.S. but then refused to receive two flights containing a total of 160 deportable migrants — suggested he changed his mind about accepting the flights because the U.S. treats “Colombian migrants as criminals.” 

Breitbart

Three Ukrainians are among seven alleged mercenaries arrested in Venezuela, leader Maduro says

"Venezuela’s leader Nicolás Maduro announced on state television on 7 January the arrest of

seven foreigners whom he accused of being "mercenaries", allegedly trying to prevent him from taking the presidential oath.
Maduro claimed that among those detained are two Americans, two Colombian "hitmen", and three "mercenaries from the war in Ukraine" who, according to him, were involved in planning "terrorist acts" ahead of his inauguration scheduled for 10 January." Pravada

Venezuela Arrests Navy SEAL Among Several Foreigners Behind Alleged Maduro Assassination Plot

"Venezuela has announced the arrest of three Americans, two Spaniards and a Czech citizen, accusing them of plotting to assassinate President Nicolas Maduro. The arrests were first

announced Saturday by the country's Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, who said that one of the Americans is Wilbert Joseph Castañeda Gomez - a Navy SEAL - who state television said served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Colombia.
Cabello alleged this was all part of another CIA plot to overthrow the Maduro government, which comes after Washington has contested the official results July 28 election which ensured the longtime strongman another six-year term as leader.
Cabello further held up rifles he claimed were used by the six foreigners as part of the anti-government plot. Below is an image circulated by state media of Gomez, who is being described as an active elite SEAL" ZH

Colombian special forces join Ukrainian fight with advanced weaponry

"Ukraine eagerly utilizes experienced foreigners who fight in the International Legion. Below,

you can see a unit of former special forces soldiers who came to Ukraine from Colombia, sending their greetings. They belong to the 49th Independent Assault Battalion "Carpathian Sich" and are fighting somewhere in the region of Kreminna in the Luhansk Oblast. It is also evident that they possess significant anti-tank strength capable of eliminating a large armored assault by the Russians, as there are likely boxes of additional anti-tank launchers out of frame." MS

Hamas Praises Colombia's Breaking Relations With Israel, Urges All Of Latin America To Follow

"Hamas is praising the government of Colombia and its leftist president Gustavo Petro for on Thursday formally cutting diplomatic ties with Israel after accusing its military of genocide against the Palestinian people.

A Hamas statement the same day hailed it as a "recognition of the suffering of Palestinian people" and further urged more Latin American countries to follow suit. Bolivia was the first to do so earlier in the nearly 7-month long conflict." ZH

Colombia Expels Argentine Diplomats After Javier Milei Calls Socialist President a ‘Terrorist Murderer’

"Colombian far-left President Gustavo Petro ordered on Wednesday the expulsion of

Argentine diplomatic personnel from the country in response to statements by Argentine counterpart Javier Milei, who called Petro a “terrorist murderer” in a yet-to-be-aired interview.
Milei, a staunch anti-communist, was interviewed by journalist Andrés Oppenheimer for his weekly television show. While the interview is scheduled to be broadcast by CNN en Español on the evening of Sunday, March 31, the television channel has published several preview clips of the interview on its website and on social media.
In one such clip, Milei describes Petro, a former member of the Marxist M19 guerrilla terrorist organization, as a “terrorist murderer,” which drew the immediate ire of the Colombian far-left president." Breitbart

Colombia’s Marxist President Threatens to Cut Ties with Israel if It Keeps Attacking Hamas

"Colombia’s far-left President Gustavo Petro threatened to cut ties with Israel on Tuesday if it

does not comply with a non-binding resolution that the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) passed this week demanding an immediate halt in the campaign against the jihadist terrorist organization Hamas.
The incident marks the second time the Colombian president has threatened to cut ties with Israel due to its self-defense operations against Hamas following the genocidal terrorists’ invasion of the country on October 7, in which Hamas jihadists killed an estimated 1,200 people." Breitbart

Argentina Detains Mideast Nationals for Alleged Terror Plot Against Jewish Sporting Event

"Argentina on Wednesday announced the arrest of three foreign nationals, specifically citizens of Syria and Lebanon, who were suspected of planning a “terrorist act” at the Pan-American Maccabi Games.
Security Minister Patricia Bullrich said her office received intelligence from the U.S. and

Israel that led to the December 30 arrest of the three suspects, who were staying at a hotel two blocks from the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires.....the suspects were “waiting for a package that came via the delivery system from Yemen,” which she described as a “strong wake-up call,” given that much of Yemen is controlled by the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists who have been attacking ships in the Red Sea.The Colombian government issued a statement  naming one of the detainees as Chassan Naem Chatay, a Colombian citizen by adoption since May 2022. The statement from Colombia said consular assistance would be provided to Chatay but offered no further details about his origins.
Bullrich said the detainees arrived on different flights and were arrested in different locations. One was taken into custody after arriving at Jorge Newbery Airport on a flight from Colombia, one was detained in downtown Buenos Aires, and the third at the nearby town of Avellaneda.
Bullrich said Argentina’s new president, Javier Milei, directed security services to pay special attention to the Pan-American Maccabi Games in light of the ongoing war between Israel and the Hamas terrorist organization." Breitbart