Colombian leftist party is *broadly* ahead in the first round of presidential elections, putting Ivan Cepeda in a strong position even as the right finally starts to consolidate behind a front-runner Meanwhile Petro approval rating highest of his presidency (Source below)

The US is about to be neck-deep in blood gold in Venezuela A first shipment of $100 million in gold bars almost certainly contained reserves mined with "efective slavery" by criminal armed groups

Blood gold theft by the burglar-in-chief.

The US is about to be neck-deep in blood gold in Venezuela A first shipment of $100 million in gold bars almost certainly contained reserves mined with "efective slavery" by criminal armed groups

“All of this is to say, any company operating in Venezuela will be directly financing armed groups that the US government considers terrorist organizations.” Fascinating explanation on what might come next for US extraction in Venezuela

The US wants Venezuelan blood gold, but the price is likely much higher than they think A "repatriation" of $100 million gold to the US almost certainly contained deposits mined via "child labor, torture, and effective slavery" LATEST for PWS

The US wants Venezuelan blood gold, but the price is likely much higher than they think A "repatriation" of $100 million gold to the US almost certainly contained deposits mined via "child labor, torture, and effective slavery" LATEST for PWS

It's wild how in just two decades the internet turned like 90% of the world into tedious scolds

100% chance at least most of this was mined in areas controlled by ELN, which uses child labor, has horrifically dangerous work conditions, and indenture that the UN has called "effective slavery" That gold is then laundered into "legal" markets

FARC dissident group EMC announces humanitarian organizations and the UN will no longer be able to operate in zones they control These groups have long been considered nuetral parties in Colombian conflicts, even at the height of the civil war

On the bright side, If mildly inconveniencing middle class people in the US who are otherwise unnaffected by ICE is what finally gets them to give a shit, I say we just keep this shit up

It's important to realize that fentanyl lies are the skeleton key Trump used to unlock all sorts of "emergency" powers during his 1st year back in office. Without them, no tariff wars, no drug boat attacks, no invasion of VZ, no strangling Cuba by oil blockade. All made possible by #DrugWarLies!🧵

Great podcast by @murosinvisibles.bsky.social on the ridiculous charges Trump is trying to fabricate against President Petro (probably in an attempt to frighten him with the Maduro example). They're also trying to invent a fentanyl connection even though South American countries aren't involved!

The Big Stories to watch this week in LATAM Blackouts, protests and an aid flotilla in Cuba, more details in DEA case against Petro, and the youngest person to die yet in DHS custody leaves Mexico asking questions LATEST for PWS

"WITCH WILL CONTINUE" 🧙‍♀️ US Department of State recruiting Etsy witches to wage war in Iran apparently

The Big Stories to watch this week in LATAM Blackouts, protests and an aid flotilla in Cuba, more details in DEA case against Petro, and the youngest person to die yet in DHS custody leaves Mexico asking questions LATEST for PWS

The US wants you to know they're coming after Petro DEA claims Colombian president is "priority target" in leaks to press, but there are some serious problems with the accusations LATEST podcast for Pirate Wire Radio

The US wants you to know they're coming after Petro DEA claims Colombian president is "priority target" in leaks to press, but there are some serious problems with the accusations LATEST podcast for Pirate Wire Radio

Kind of amazing how no one in the Trump administration or DHS talks about "cells" of Tren de Aragua anymore Kind of amazing how many journalists who repeated that bullshit for so long aren't either

Kind of amazing how no one in the Trump administration or DHS talks about "cells" of Tren de Aragua anymore Kind of amazing how many journalists who repeated that bullshit for so long aren't either

Weird piece. Restates long-disproven government accusation that M-19 was paid by Escobar to attack the Palace or Justice

This sort of investigation now carries with it the possibility of extraterritorial enforcement, even for a head of state, whether in office or after they leave, as with Hernandez (who Trump released). The US as unilateral ICC is clearly unsustainable, for both the US and the world.

These investigations were leaked to Rueter's, AP, and the NYT today. That doesn't *imply* the Trump admin wants this to become public information, it proves it The question is "why?"

US prosecutors investigating Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro: NYT Two investigations into campaign financing explore links to drug trafficking

You cant be a journalist who is also an economist because journalism is about telling the truth

Ecuador says it has no idea how its bomb ended up in Colombia Noboa initially denied the bomb was from Ecuador, but after a high-level meeting between defense ministers, new details emerge LATEST for PWS

Bogota floats the idea of "robot guards" to improve security in the city Would be deeply ironic if the Butlerian jihad was accidentally started by knife-weilding Colombian muggers

Ecuador says it has no idea how its bomb ended up in Colombia Noboa initially denied the bomb was from Ecuador, but after a high-level meeting between defense ministers, new details emerge LATEST for PWS

Oppression and resistance: the DHS Diaries PWS weekly on ICE, Border Patrol, and the brave communities , organizations, and individuals resisting their fascist policies LATEST for PWS www.piratewireservices.com/p/oppression...

Borders are meant to kill How wealthy countries designed deadly 'deterrence' policies globally PWS podcast at Pirate Wire Radio

Noboa thinks Ecuador can bomb its way out of a security crisis: he's wrong Inroads by armed groups into new territories illustrates the shortcomings of "mano dura." But they also reveal unique vulnerabilities LATEST for PWS www.piratewireservices.com/p/noboa-thin...

Borders are meant to kill How wealthy countries designed deadly 'deterrence' policies globally PWS podcast at Pirate Wire Radio

Noboa thinks Ecuador can bomb its way out of a security crisis: he's wrong Inroads by armed groups into new territories illustrates the shortcomings of "mano dura." But they also reveal unique vulnerabilities LATEST for PWS www.piratewireservices.com/p/noboa-thin...

The Big Stories to watch this week in LATAM US announces more military strikes in LATAM, mining Venezuelan rare earth minerals could lead serious conflict with AGs, and moderates lose big in Congressional elections in Colombia LATEST for PWS

Mexico and Colombia owe women a serious debt Despite progressive leaders who have promised progress in the fight against Gender-based violence, conditions for women in both countries continues to deteriorate

Mexico and Colombia owe women a serious debt Despite progressive leaders who have promised progress in the fight against Gender-based violence, conditions for women in both countries continues to deteriorate

US bombs alleged training camp inside Ecuador In an attack carried out in conjunction with Ecuadorian forces, US Dept of War destroys alleged training camp of Comandos de la Frontera LATEST for PWS

US bombs alleged training camp inside Ecuador In an attack carried out in conjunction with Ecuadorian forces, US Dept of War destroys alleged training camp of Comandos de la Frontera LATEST for PWS

The US has conducted a bombing inside Ecuador near the Colombian border, with cooperation from the Ecuadorian military Ecuador and the US claim the target was a FARC dissident camp. They do not yet provide any further details US killings in LATAM go landward

All that and more in this week's DHS Diaries. If you haven't signed up for PWS, you should. We bring you weekly migration-related updates and all the latest news , podcasts, and features on Latin America!

The financial fallout of those operations as thousands avoid work or shopping for fear of detention has been devastating. But mutual aid networks built over year since the George Floyd protests are keeping families and vulnerable communities afloat. www.piratewireservices.com/p/oppression...

ICE officials abandoned a blind Rohingya refugee, who speaks no English and had no phone on the streets of Buffalo in the middle of winter. Nurul Amin Shah Alam wandered the streets for five days before dying on a sidewalk downtown www.piratewireservices.com/p/oppression...

The rate of deaths caused by DHS is increasing. In January and February, six people died in as many weeks at the same Texas detention center. Lawyers representing detainees call it an “unprecedented humanitarian crisis” in the region.

This week on the DHS diaries: 🧵 DHS is killing people at historic rates, and lying about it More people have died in DHS custody or during operations than any year since the agency was created. What's worse, DHS and ICE have been lying about how some of those deaths occurred (link below)

This week on the DHS diaries: 🧵 DHS is killing people at historic rates, and lying about it More people have died in DHS custody or during operations than any year since the agency was created. What's worse, DHS and ICE have been lying about how some of those deaths occurred (link below)

The Big Stories to watch this week in LATAM Money plane crashes in Bolivia, making cops sad, Neo-liberal labor reform in Argentina, and a shootout on the high seas near Cuba LATEST for PWS

The Big Stories to watch this week in LATAM Money plane crashes in Bolivia, making cops sad, Neo-liberal labor reform in Argentina, and a shootout on the high seas near Cuba LATEST for PWS

Capture of El Mencho in Mexico leads to violence in areas controlled by CJNG Burnt cars, roadblocks, and attacks across the country after one of Mexico's most notorious kingpin LATEST for PWS

Colombia enters election year amid record violence Colombians will go to the polls to elect a new president and congressmen amidst the highest number of attacks by armed groups since the civil war LATEST for PWS by Daniela Diaz www.piratewireservices.com/p/colombia-e...

Must read on upcoming Colombian presidential elections, brought to us by @murosinvisibles.bsky.social and the incredible Pirate Ware Services team. #kudos open.substack.com/pub/piratewi...