Panama just made its largest maritime cocaine seizure since 2008: 13.5 tons. Authorities arrested 10 people. Since they are _alive_ and not _barbarically blown out of the water_, these 10 people are all potential sources of intelligence to dismantle criminal networks.

Interesting that ~10 agents chose to mask for this photo, while the rest were apparently fine with showing their faces.

(1/3) Really excellent piece in El Espectador this morning from David Escobar Moreno on the businesses connections that funded paramilitaries in the 90s and early 2000s in #Colombia. www.elespectador.com/investigacio...

(1/5) People in Tunja woke up to find a mortar in the street. As dawn broke on Saturday, residents in the Curubal neighbourhood of Tunja, the capital of Boyacá, discovered a blue pickup truck retrofitted with a platform for launching mortars.

(1/5) #colombian leftist guerrillas the #ELN killed five miners in a massacre in a gold mine on Tuesday. They arrived without warning and opened fire indiscriminately into a group of workers. The mine, near the town of San Pablo, Bolívar, was reportedly controlled by the Clan del Golfo.

(1/5) Yesterday, a car bomb exploded near the police station in Suárez, Cauca, destroying 30 homes and businesses. Two people were killed and several more injured, according to the mayor’s office.

(1/4) Yet another drone attack in Colombia. On Friday, a police station in Jamundí (Valle del Cauca), was attacked by a drone loaded with explosives.

Great to see the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights speaking so clearly about the United States' murderous boat strikes in the Western Hemisphere. 59 days after the first strike is hardly "rapid response," but it's way better than "never, because it's the USA." www.ohchr.org/en/press-rel...

(1/5) The Colombian Navy seized nearly 2.8 tons of cocaine on a boat near Buenaventura destined for Central America, valued at 133 million USD (where, idk). Just a few weeks ago, public forces had seized 2.9 tons of cocaine in a mega operation that hit 35 locations in the port city in the same day.

This is already aging well. Cold War fever: US targets Colombia and Venezuela Rubio and Trump seek the power to kill who they want, when they want, and they don't think they owe you an explanation www.piratewireservices.com/p/cold-war-f...

(1/5) FARC dissidents injured six people in a drone attack in El Plateado, Cauca, today, five of them children. Drone attacks are a tragically common story in Cauca. El Espectador attributes the attack to the Carlos Patiño FARC dissident front. Below is a map of the group's clashes and arrests.

(1/4) Extremely concerning that the Trump Administration’s rhetoric over the past few weeks has blamed Maduro and Petro personally for drug trafficking.

(1/5) Today, Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced through his X account that “it's time to resume talks with the ELN. I’m responding to Mr. Pablo Beltrán. Try peace in Colombia.” Petro is referring to a video in which Beltrán, ELN chief negotiator, called for a return to negotiations.

(1/4) The Colombian Navy just stopped 2.7 tons of cocaine heading for Costa Rica - the third major seizure on the Pacific Coast in two days. Five Colombians were intercepted piloting a speedboat loaded with narcotics.

(1/5) Colombian public forces seized 2.9 tons of cocaine in a massive operation in Buenaventura. Approximately 1,000 members of the Police, Army, Navy, and air force conducted 35 raids and arrested 39 individuals.

(1/4) Yesterday, a group of FARC dissidents attacked a police substation in El Caramelo (southwestern Cauca) with explosives, killing one and injuring four more.

(1/5) Earlier this week, over 620 people were displaced in southern Bolívar, arriving in the small town of Arenal after being told to leave by the ELN.

(1/4) The Colombian government confirms that new talks with Clan del Golfo will take place in Qatar. It's a really strange choice of venue as past talks have been in Colombia or another Latam country (like Cuba for the FARC talks).

(1/5) Today the Colombian military dismantled two ELN-run cocaine labs in Cúcuta and Pamplonita, seizing 275 kg. Just five days before, two labs in Tibu and Valle de Aburrá were also uncovered.

(1/5) 🚨 In the past 5 days, Colombia has seen three explosive attacks allegedly carried out by the ELN: 📍 July 15: Explosives blocked a road in rural Cúcuta 📍 July 13: A pipeline was bombed in Saravena, Arauca 📍 July 10: A mule rigged with explosives killed a soldier in Valdivia, Antioquia

(1/5) This Thursday, Colombia’s military bombed a suspected Clan del Golfo camp in Briceño, Antioquia. Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez said the strike killed 30–40 fighters. www.elcolombiano.com/antioquia/bo...

(1/4)🚨Over 65 people displaced in Yondó (Antioquia) due to firefights between the ELN and Clan del Golfo, according to the Mayor’s Office. This marks the latest escalation in a turf war along one of Colombia’s most critical cocaine corridors. www.elcolombiano.com/antioquia/co...

It took a year to scour every local office for every record of a migrant death on the Texas border w/Mexico. The results are devastating amid a Texas border crackdown. >1K drowned btwn 2017-23, many children. We tell the story of a 4yo lone survivor of a family drowned in the Rio Grande last year.

I wonder if we can expect a big increase in migrants at the US border before the inauguration as groups make their way further north.

Seventy percent of women in Latín America have been víctims of gender-based violence In México, more than 3000 are murdered every year Sheinbaum promises to change that, but she's defunding state programs for battered women

The combined effects of deportations and tariffs on US agriculture are going to be pretty wild. The US imports most of its fertilizer and a lot of its farm machinery. Likely more than 44% of farm workers are undocumented.

I'm having doubts about how far Trump will actually go on tariffs once he realizes that other countries can hit back. But if he did go through with his campaign pledges, it would be a bigger hit than Smoot-Hawley, which caused the Great Depression. Except it didn't 1/

The 🇲🇽Sheinbaum Govt hates to boast about it (& the 🇺🇸Trump camp likes to glance away) but Mexico is already arresting RECORD numbers of US-bound migrants since last December when Biden closed 2 railway crossing bridges after a peak in 🇺🇸🇲🇽 border encounters Graph by @adamisacson.com

Some chilling data from CEPAL on feminicide in Latin America and the Caribbean

In Legacy of Lies, El Salvador 1981-1984, photojournalist Robert Nickelsberg documents how U.S. foreign policy fueled a violent 13-year civil war in El Salvador.

Why is the Guardian still calling them evacuations when the IDF has said it will not allow people to return, not to mention that evacuation implies a move to a safe place? Also I feel the ICC/Netanyahu crimes against humanity warrant needs to be built in to the context setting.

A Corruption Case That Spilled Across Latin America Is Coming Undone www.nytimes.com/2024/11/24/w...

Colombian President Gustavo Petro wants to restart a bilateral ceasefire with the ELN, which ended on Aug 3. This would be a return to peace talks. But the context is weird. (1/4)

Armed men from ELN intercepted an armored SUV escorted by Colombian police in Norte Santander on Friday morning that was carrying around $600,000. After a shootout with police, they managed to flee with all the money

🚨 Which ICC countries could Netanyahu and Gallant face arrest in? Over 120 nations that are part of the International Criminal Court are obligated to enforce the arrest warrants #Justice #ICC #Accountability

Told. You. So.

Little to nothing changes in Chile. The only positive note is that @jwbartlett92.bsky.social keeps doing great reporting from Chile.

The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants against Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, and Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri. These warrants should push the international community to address atrocities and secure justice for all victims in Palestine and Israel.

I'm putting together a list of Latin-America-focused journos and academics posting great content on this app. As a heads up, it does include creators posting in Spanish, Portuguese, and English. #latinamerica #mexico #brasil #colombia go.bsky.app/9rdw9yK

Myanmar’s Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) hopes to soon resume rare earth mining in the Pangwa-Chipwi region on the Chinese border, local media report. This would conclude a massive shift of power in a mineral crucial to the green energy transition shorturl.at/9Qsd8 Thread 🧵⬇️

Amazing piece in the guardian today from @hajmedd.bsky.social and others on McKinsey and how it pushes Green and Fossil Fuel interests in the same sordid breath www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Of nationalities with >100 border migrant encounters in October, the largest increases from the July-September average: Turkey 50% "Other Countries" 20% Nicaragua 15% Venezuela 14% Colombia, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras 11% Largest decreases: Russia -40% Brazil -26% Ecuador -24% Haiti -22%

Guatemalan police intercepted a shipment of 3,905 packages (likely around 4,000 kilos) of cocaine on a small boat traversing its Caribbean coast. There have been a bunch of seizures here recently, but this is the largest.

Is there a plan for keeping this place nice as it grows? I'm having fun now but there's a gnawing dread in my stomach.

In Colombia: Water is a Casualty of War As COP16 progresses, the link between illicit economies, conflict and environmental destruction is starkly illustrated www.piratewireservices.com/p/in-colombi...

Relatives of some of 6,000+ people killed by #Colombia’s military in the 2000s (a scandal called “false positives”) laid out sets of painted boots outside the Congress in Bogotá, to commemorate the victims. A 28-year-old right-wing congressman took it upon himself to throw the boots in the trash.

Howdy folks! Here's a bunch of cool people posting about immigration and the US border, including @pablodelarosa.bsky.social y.social, @bgirledukate.bsky.social te.bsky.social, @silkys13.bsky.social sky.social, @daralind.bsky.social alind.bsky.social. #immigration #borders go.bsky.app/QBKcWiD

It turns out that there’s no insurgencies starter pack, so I’ve made one. Let me know if I’ve missed someone. go.bsky.app/12EFpjk

I started a Colombianistas starter pack. I’m sure it will grow! Saludos! go.bsky.app/KY4Vcsb