Colombia’s Gustavo Petro is in New York ahead of the United Nation’s General Assembly. Petro trip to the U.S comes as Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro seeks to engage the Trump administration in dialogue, despite the military arsenal targeting drug boats in the Caribbean.
Bogotá launches its first International Art and City Biennale, BOG25, on September 20. The 51-day free event features over 200 artists from 12 countries, installations across 25 venues, and Mexico City as guest of honour, spotlighting art, urbanism and central theme of “happiness”.
Colombia’s Gustavo Petro lashed out at U.S. President Donald Trump after Washington decertified Colombia’s anti-drug efforts, calling the move an “injustice.” Petro defended record cocaine seizures, vowed not to extradite three traffickers engaged in peace talks, and accused the U.S. of a failed, decades-long drug policy.
Colombia’s Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) tribunal issued its first sanctions against seven former FARC commanders, holding them responsible for kidnapping over 21,000 people. Classified as war crimes and crimes against humanity, the commanders received eight-year restorative sanctions under the 2016 peace accord.
Colombia faces a critical U.S. anti-narcotics certification decision by September 15, testing a security partnership with Washington. Despite record cocaine seizures, coca cultivation has surged, straining ties under President Petro. Defense Minister Sánchez warns decertification would empower illegal armed groups.
Colombian botanist Oscar Alejandro Pérez-Escobar, Research Group Leader at Kew Gardens, leads the Orchid Tree of Life project, tracing the evolution of 30,000 orchid species. His research, published in New Phytologist, underscores orchids as “canaries in a coalmine,” vital for biodiversity, conservation, and understanding climate change.
Bogotá will host the 14th International Sacred Music Festival from September 10 to October 5, featuring 750 artists from 16 countries in 40 concerts, lectures, and workshops. Centered on the theme “La Gloria,” the festival spans 20 venues, with Verdi’s Nabucco opening and Brahms’s German Requiem closing.
Bogotá’s first metro train has arrived in Colombia after a 30-day journey from China, marking a historic milestone for the long-delayed project. The six-car train will undergo testing in the capital, with Line 1 expected to begin passenger service in March 2028.
Tensions are rising across the hemisphere after Venezuela’s Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announced that 15,000 troops will be sent to the border with Colombia as the U.S Navy presence in the Caribbean intensifies.
The U.S. Navy is deploying warships near Venezuela, sparking warnings from Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro of migration and economic fallout. Meanwhile, ex-President Álvaro Uribe was freed from house arrest and announced a political comeback with a rally honoring slain senator Miguel Uribe Turbay.
The United States has deployed three guided-missile destroyers to waters off Venezuela, escalating tensions with Nicolás Maduro, who has mobilised 4.5 million militia members. The move comes as Colombia mourns Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay a close ally of the Trump administration.
Miguel Uribe Turbay was laid to rest in Bogotá after an emotional farewell that began at the Capitol and ended at the Primary Cathedral. Leaders and citizens alike mourned the former senator, remembering his public service, legacy, and dedication to Colombia’s democratic values.
U.S President Donald Trump is sending a high-level delegation to Bogotá in the wake of the killing of Colombian opposition leader Miguel Uribe Turbay. The delegation will attend Wednesday’s funeral mass for the Senator and sends a direct message to President Petro after he showed solidarity with Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.
Miguel Uribe Turbay, the prominent Colombian politician and presidential candidate has died age 39, two months after an assassination attempt in Bogotá. Turbay was shot at close range in the head by a 15-year-old hired gunman.
Colombia has accused Peru of illegally occupying a disputed island on the Amazon River, escalating tensions between the two neighbors. President Gustavo Petro claims Peru violated a 1934 treaty by creating the district of Santa Rosa de Loreto. Peru rejects the claim, asserting full sovereignty over its territory.
The ELN guerrilla has intensified its offensive in Colombia’s Sur de Bolívar, deploying drones and battling rivals armed groups for control of alluvial gold mines. The region has become a testing ground for aerial terror, forcing some 7,500 to be confined in this dangerous chapter of the internal conflict.