Latest news with #RevolutionaryArmedForcesofColombia
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Colombia Senator Uribe out of surgery but extremely critical, hospital says
Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe, who has been hospitalised since he was shot in the head earlier this month during a campaign event, is out of an emergency surgery performed on Monday (June 16, 2025) but is in 'extremely critical' condition, the Santa Fe Foundation hospital said on Monday (June 16, 2025). Mr. Uribe, 39, a potential presidential candidate from the right-wing opposition, was shot in Bogota on June 7 during a rally. 'Patient Miguel Uribe Turbay is out of surgery and his condition is extremely critical, characterised by a persistent cerebral edema and difficult to control inter-cerebral bleeding,' the hospital said in a statement, adding that his condition is of 'maximum seriousness.' The more than six-hour surgery was Mr. Uribe's third since he was shot. He was rushed into emergency surgery for bleeding in his brain on Monday (June 16, 2025) morning, the hospital said, after undergoing another surgical procedure that was complementary to his original operation. 'I've come out to again ask all Colombians, appealing to their good hearts, to the love they feel for Miguel, for my family and for Colombia, for us to hold a mass prayer. Today is crucial,' his wife Maria Claudia Tarazona told journalists outside the hospital. The shooting, which was caught on video, recalled a streak of candidate assassinations in the 1980s and 1990s, a time when fighting between armed guerrillas, paramilitary groups, drug traffickers and state security forces touched the lives of many Colombians. Marches were held on Sunday (June 15, 2025) around the country to call for peace, and several vigils for Mr. Uribe's health have taken place. Three suspects, including a 15-year-old alleged to be the shooter, are in custody. In a video of the teen's capture, independently verified by Reuters, he can be heard shouting that he had been hired by a local drug dealer. An adult man and woman are also being held. The man, Carlos Eduardo Mora, has been charged for alleged involvement in planning the attack, providing the gun and being in the vehicle where the shooter changed his clothes after the attack, according to the attorney general's office. Though the government had floated a connection between them and the shooting, the main dissident faction of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia guerrilla group on Friday (June 13, 2025) denied responsibility for the assassination attempt on Mr. Uribe, though it did accept responsibility for a series of unrelated bombings. Campaigning for the 2026 election is just beginning for potential candidates who want to succeed leftist President Gustavo Petro, who has vowed to advance peace efforts through negotiations and surrender deals with little success. Mr. Uribe, a married father of one, is a senator for the right-wing Democratic Center party founded by former President Alvaro Uribe and one of several potential candidates from the group vying for support. The two men are not related. Senator Uribe comes from a prominent political family. His grandfather, Julio Cesar Turbay, was president from 1978 to 1982, and his mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was killed in 1991 in a botched rescue attempt after being kidnapped by an armed group led by drug lord Pablo Escobar.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
FARC guerrilla dissidents deny being behind senator's attack in Colombia
BOGOTA (Reuters) -The main dissident faction of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrilla group denied any responsibility for the attack against Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe, in a statement on Friday. The government of President Gustavo Petro had said that FARC could have been involved in the attack against the senator and potential presidential candidate, who remains hospitalized in an intensive care unit after being shot in Bogota on Saturday. "The units of the FARC-EP did not plan, order, or execute any action against the politician in question," the armed group said in a statement. The 39-year-old was attacked over the weekend by a 15-year-old, currently detained, who shot him with a pistol during a political meeting in western Bogotá. The clinic where he is being treated reported on Friday that his condition continues to be critical. Uribe received two shots to the head and one to the left leg, according to the Attorney General's Office.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
7 Dead and 28 Injured in Series of Bombings Across Colombia, 3 Days After Attempted Assassination of Presidential Candidate
Several bombings and firearm attacks took place in south-western Colombia, resulting in the deaths of five civilians and two police officers on June 10, the Colombian Police Department announced in a release At least 28 people were also injured in the attacks The attacks were reportedly carried out by illegal armed groups using four vehicles filled with explosivesAt least seven people have died and 28 people have been injured in a series of bombings and firearm attacks near police stations in Colombia. On Tuesday, June 10, numerous bomb attacks took place in Cauca and Valle del Cauca, killing five civilians and two police officers and injuring 28 others, the Colombian Police Department announced in a news release posted on X. 'Today, 24 terrorist attacks have occurred, concentrated in the departments of Cauca and Valle del Cauca, resulting in five civilian deaths and two police officers killed: Police Patrolman Jair Gonzalo Gurrete Bolaños in Caloto and Patrolman Duván Andrés Ramírez Cárdenas in Villa Rica, Cauca,' police said in the release, translated from Spanish. The police confirmed that 28 people were injured in the attacks, including 19 civilians, seven police officers, and two military personnel. Captain Juan Carlos Amaya Méndez was also confirmed to have been killed in similar attacks in Sonsón, Antioquia. According to the police, the attacks were carried out by illegal armed groups using four vehicles equipped with explosives, including three motorcycle bombs, ten explosive device launches, and four firearm attacks. Local media have linked some of the attacks to a faction of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a once-powerful guerrilla group, per BBC and NBC News. FARC-EMC is a group led by former members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia who broke away from the group after it signed a peace deal with the government in 2016. In Valle del Cauca, 13 incidents occurred in the municipalities of Jamundi, Palmira, Buenaventura, and Cali. In Cauca, 10 terrorist acts were reported in the municipalities of Patía, Suarez, Toribio, Villa Rica, Timbiquí, Morales, Corinto, Caloto, and Buenos Aires, according to police. Photos obtained by NBC News show a police station completely burnt to the ground following a bomb attack and a burned-out bus as armed military personnel roam the area. The National Police and National Army are 'deploying joint operations to counter illegal activities in the area, especially against the Jaime Martínez organization operating in this region of the country,' police noted. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. The Ministry of Defense of Colombia said in a statement translated from Spanish posted on Instagram Stories, 'In light of the violent events reported today in Cauca and Valle del Cauca, the National Government is strengthening coordination with local authorities to prevent further terrorist acts and locate those responsible.' 'The National Government, committed to the safety and peace of all Colombians, is coordinating with the authorities of Cauca and Valle del Cauca to prevent terrorist acts and capture those responsible for the events that occurred today in these departments.' The Ministry of Defense of Colombia is offering a reward of up to 300 million pesos for information that could help capture those responsible for the attacks, according to police. The attacks come just three days after an assassination attempt on Presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe Turbay. The senator was shot multiple times during an event with supporters at a public park on June 7 with the politician's wife confirming that her husband was "fighting" for his life on X. A 15-year-old, who was carrying a Glock-style pistol, has since been arrested, according to CNN and the BBC, both of which cited the local attorney general's office. The government in Colombia has struggled to contain violence as rebel groups try to take over territory abandoned by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia following its peace deal with the government. Peace talks between the FARC-EMC faction and the government broke down last year after a series of attacks on indigenous communities, per NBC. The Ministry of Defense of Colombia and the Colombian Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for an update. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
At least four dead in Colombia attacks, local media reports
At least four people have died in a wave of bomb and gun attacks in south-western Colombia, according to local media reports. Two police officers were said to be among those killed in the attacks, which targeted Cali, the country's third-largest city, and several nearby towns. Car bombs, motorcycle bombs, rifle fire and a suspected drone were reportedly used in the attacks. The Colombian Ministry of Defence said 19 attacks had taken place. Local media have linked some of the attacks to a faction of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a once-powerful guerrilla group. The BBC has not been able to independently verify this. Police stations, municipal buildings and civilian targets were hit as an escalating security crisis grips the South American country. Multiple people have been injured in the attacks, although the precise number of dead and injured is not yet clear. In a statement posted to social media, the Colombian Ministry of Defence said 12 attacks in the Cauca region and seven in the Valle del Cauca region, the ministry said. The ministry described the violence as "a desperate reaction by illegal armed groups to the massive operations of the [military and police], which have devastated their illicit structures and economies". The mayor of the region's biggest city, Cali, said the city had returned to 1989, when it was blighted by the drugs trade and cartel violence. The attacks come days after the attempted assassination of presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay in the capital city, Bogota, while he addressed supporters. A 15-year-old was arrested on the scene at the time. On Tuesday, the Attorney General's office said the teenager did not accept the charges levelled against him, including attempted murder and illegal possession of a firearm. A judge has ordered the detention of the teenager, the Attorney General's office added.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Peace has long been elusive in rural Colombia – Black women's community groups try to bring it closer each day
It's been almost nine years since Colombia celebrated a landmark peace agreement between one guerrilla group and the government, and three years since President Gustavo Petro vowed 'total peace.' But in reality, the country's decades-long internal conflict continues – making it one of the oldest in the world. Violence surged in early 2025, the most intense uptick in years. Fighting between two armed guerrilla groups in the northeastern Catatumbo region killed dozens of people and displaced tens of thousands more. Since the largest armed group – the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as FARC – signed the 2016 peace accord, more than 400 signatories have been killed. Meanwhile, more than 1,200 social leaders and human rights defenders have been assassinated. We often define peace as the absence of war. The problem with thinking about peace and war as an all-or-nothing binary, however, is that it obscures the violence that takes place in 'peaceful times.' For Colombians, that paradox is nothing new. In many communities most affected by the violence, thinking about a 'post-conflict era' feels utopian. As a Colombian researcher who has collaborated with Afro-Colombian leaders for over a decade, I have noticed that emphasizing peace talks and accords erases the historical violence that is still present, especially for racial minorities. Colombia has the largest Black population in Spanish-speaking Latin America. In Chocó – a region on the Pacific coast where I conducted my research – Afro-Colombians form a majority. Communities there are contending not only with the contemporary conflict, but also ongoing challenges from the legacies of slavery, colonialism and extractive industries. Many residents, particularly women, work together every day to try to bring peace and justice within reach. Colombia has been mired in war for over six decades, as legal and illegal armed groups across the political spectrum fight for territories and resources. The conflict is estimated to have killed around 450,000 people and displaced around 7 million. Black and Indigenous communities have disproportionately suffered the brunt of the war – especially in rural areas, where their lives and territories have been threatened by armed groups and companies alike. In Chocó Department, the site of my research, the region's remoteness and biodiversity have attracted illegal groups and practices like drug trafficking, as well as mining and other types of resource extraction that threaten traditional livelihoods. Mercury from industrial mining poses an additional danger to people's health and the environment. Black rural communities in the Pacific lowlands, where most of Chocó is located, have a legal right to collective ownership of their territories and to be consulted about development plans. In reality, land grabs and targeted killings over illegal crops, mining and other extractive practices have become the norm here, as is true throughout rural Colombia. The conflict has intensified racism and gender hierarchies, with Black women, particularly activists, especially vulnerable. Vice President Francia Márquez Mina, for example – who has won awards for her activism against illegal mining – survived an attack near her home in the nearby department of Cauca in 2019. She and her family have received other threats on their lives since then. Even in 'postconflict' times, peace is a challenging task. It requires social change that does not happen overnight. Rather, it is the accumulation of tiny sparks in people's daily commitments. In my book 'Postconflict Utopias: Everyday Survival in Chocó, Colombia,' I write about how Black women's organizations care for their territories and communities. The 'comisionadas,' for example, belong to one of the largest such groups in Colombia, called COCOMACIA. These women travel the Atrato River and its tributaries to lead workshops about the organization, as well as territorial rights and women's rights. Everyone in the community is welcome to participate in dialogues about issues such as women's political participation, land ownership and related legislation. Comisionada María del Socorro Mosquera Pérez, for example, wrote a song to share the importance of Law 1257, a landmark 2008 law against violence and discrimination against women. In her story for the research project that I discuss in my book, 'Mujeres Pacíficas,' comisionada Rubiela Cuesta Córdoba says it best: 'The best legacy that one leaves to family and friends is resistance.' One focus of these women's groups' work is the Atrato River itself. Since 2016, the same year of the peace accords, Colombian courts have recognized the river as a legal person, with rights to protection, conservation, maintenance and restoration. The river is a source of food and transportation between many basin communities where potable water, electricity and other amenities are scarce. But it is also intertwined with politics and spirituality. Pilgrimages like 'Atratiando,' a trip along the river and its tributaries that has taken place multiple times since 1999, highlight that there is no life without the river. Participants travel through areas where paramilitaries and guerrillas are active, showing solidarity with vulnerable communities. COCOMACIA's comisionadas are part of many other organizations – highlighting how survival is not only intertwined with lands and rivers, but other regions and countries. The struggle for women's rights has led the comisionadas to collaborate with other organizations, creating wider networks of care. These include La Red Departamental de Mujeres Chocoanas, a feminist coalition of women's organizations in Chocó; La Ruta Pacífica de las Mujeres, a feminist movement of 300 organizations from across Colombia; and Women in Black, an anti-militarism network with members in over 150 countries. Their solidarity is a reminder that peace and justice are a collaborative, everyday effort. As Justa Germania Mena Córdoba, leader of the comisionadas at the time, told me in 2012: 'One cannot change the world by herself.' This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Tania Lizarazo, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Read more: Activism on foot: When Indigenous activists walk the land to honor their past and reshape their future Land acknowledgments meant to honor Indigenous people too often do the opposite – erasing American Indians and sanitizing history instead How Ecuador went from being Latin America's model of stability to a nation in crisis Tania Lizarazo does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
