Latest News

Colombia Confirms 15 Minors Killed in Army Bombings Against FARC Dissidents

By The City Paper Staff - November 18, 2025

The Colombian government of President Gustavo Petro has acknowledged that at least 15 minors recruited by illegal armed groups were killed in four military operations carried out between August and November, after a report by the National Institute of Forensic Medicine revealed a higher number of child casualties than initially disclosed by the Defence Ministry. […]

Palace of Justice: Forty Years, Four Peace Processes, and No Peace

By Luis Guillermo Plata - November 9, 2025

I remember perfectly the morning of November 6, 1985. I was 18 years old, a high school conscript serving in the Presidential Guard Battalion. Chaos reigned. Commanders shouted orders as we deployed in trucks and on foot – not only toward Plaza de Bolívar, but to different corners of Bogotá. No one knew where the […]

Colombia Marks 40 Years Since Palace of Justice Siege by M-19

By Richard Emblin - November 6, 2025

Forty years after one of the darkest chapters in Colombia’s modern history, the country is commemorating the 1985 Palace of Justice siege amid fierce controversy over President Gustavo Petro’s attempts to reinterpret and elevate the legacy of the M-19 — the guerrilla to which he once belonged and which unleashed one of the bloodiest attacks […]

Petro lashes out at Trump after U.S. decertifies Colombia on drug fight

By Richard Emblin - September 18, 2025

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.

Petro Hardens Rhetoric on Maduro as U.S. Certification Deadline Nears

By The City Paper Staff - September 9, 2025

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has toughened his stance on Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro and suggested a return to aerial fumigation of coca crops after soldiers were kidnapped in Cauca, as Washington weighs whether to decertify Colombia in its anti-narcotics efforts.

The Shadow of U.S. Certification Looms Over Colombia

By Richard Emblin - September 8, 2025

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.

War for Gold: Colombia’s Sur de Bolívar trapped as ELN expands to Pacific

By Richard Emblin - August 5, 2025

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.

Former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe Vélez addresses a crowd in Santa Fe de Antioquia. Photo: Twitter/Alvaro Uribe.

Guilty Verdict Against Álvaro Uribe Sparks Condemnation from U.S Lawmakers

By Richard Emblin - July 29, 2025

Former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe was found guilty of witness tampering and abuse of process, becoming the country’s first ex-head of state convicted at trial. U.S. Republican lawmakers condemned the verdict as political persecution, while Uribe’s legal team plans to appeal. Sentencing is scheduled for Friday.

Juan Manuel Echavarría and the Haunting Silence of Memory

By Richard Emblin - July 25, 2025

In a powerful Bogotá exhibition, Colombian artist Juan Manuel Echavarría brings the country’s hidden war into view — through abandoned schoolrooms, war-scarred voices, and the quiet gaze of witness.

Ex-FARC Commanders Admit to Forcible Recruitment of More Than 18,000 Minors

By The City Paper Staff - July 10, 2025

The six former FARC commanders of the Secretariat admitted to recruiting more than 18,000 children during Colombia’s armed conflict, calling it a grave mistake before the Special Jurisdiction for Peace.

Petro halts extradition of Dissident Commander “HH” wanted in U.S. for drug trafficking

By The City Paper Staff - May 23, 2025

Colombian President Gustavo Petro suspended the U.S. extradition of dissident commander Gabriel Yepes Mejía, sparking tensions with Washington. The move, tied to peace talks, risks sanctions as Colombia deepens ties with China and distances itself from traditional U.S. alliances.

Pope Francis, Advocate of Colombia’s Peace Accord, Dies at 88

By The City Paper Staff - April 21, 2025

Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff and tireless advocate for Colombia’s 2016 peace accord with FARC rebels, died at 88. His 2017 visit helped heal a war-torn nation. Revered globally for championing reconciliation, he bridged faith and diplomacy during a transformative era for the Catholic Church.

Over 1,200 indigenous protesters occupy Bogotá’s Plaza de Bolívar

By Richard Emblin - April 3, 2025

Some 1,200 Indigenous people from Colombia’s southwestern departments have gathered peacefully in Bogotá’s Plaza de Bolívar for a third consecutive day, calling for a meeting with President Gustavo Petro to discuss violence in their territories and the government’s unfulfilled commitments.

Cauca under fire. FARC dissidents launch wave of terror attacks

By The City Paper Staff - March 27, 2025

FARC dissidents launched coordinated attacks across ten municipalities in the department of Cauca, Colombia, killing one soldier and injuring over 80 people. Explosives strapped to motorbikes, drone strikes, and armed assaults have prompted heightened security in the southwest of the country.

Colombia’s AG ordered to provide information on 546 disappeared members of security forces

By Richard Emblin - March 3, 2025

Colombia’s Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) gave the Attorney General’s Office 45 days to provide information on 546 disappeared members of the armed forces, aiming to advance their identification and ensure victims’ rights to truth and justice.

Colombia’s tourism sector faces security challenges amid ANATO’s 44th edition

By Richard Emblin - February 27, 2025

Colombia’s ANATO tourism fair opens amid security concerns and President Petro’s no show during the opening cereomony. Industry leaders emphasized tourism’s economic importance, while Bogotá, Barranquilla and Santa Marta showcase growth, sustainability, and international partnerships to boost the country’s global standing.