Colombia

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia’s defense ministry on Friday announced the ouster of 11 military officials and the resignation of a general related to an ongoing probe into allegations the army spied on journalists, politicians, magistrates and other members of the military.

The ministry did not name any of the people dismissed or the general. The country’s attorney general opened the investigation in January after local news magazine Semana published the allegations.

BOGOTA, March 22 (Xinhua) -- An attempted prison break in Colombia's capital Bogota left 23 inmates dead and 83 others injured, of whom 32 are hospitalized, Justice Minister Margarita Cabello said on Sunday.

"Today is a very painful day for the country. I have to report that last night there was a massive and criminal attempt to escape from the La Modelo penitentiary," said Cabello.

Seven prison guards and officials belonging to the National Penitentiary and Prison Institute (INPEC) were also injured, two of them critically, said Cabello.

TOLEMAIDA AIR BASE, Colombia (AP) — Under a covered pavilion near a steaming runway at Colombia’s Tolemaida Air Base, dozens of American paratroopers lie sweating on a concrete slab. Green and brown camouflage face paint drips from their brows.

The soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division can’t move much — they’re loaded down with rifles and nearly 100 pounds of gear. In less than an hour, it will all drop out of a C-130 aircraft moving 150 mph.

TOLEMAIDA AIR BASE, Colombia (AP) — Under a covered pavilion near a steaming runway at Colombia’s Tolemaida Air Base, dozens of American paratroopers lie sweating on a concrete slab. Green and brown camouflage face paint drips from their brows.

The soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division can’t move much — they’re loaded down with rifles and nearly 100 pounds of gear. In less than an hour, it will all drop out of a C-130 aircraft moving 150 mph.

BOGOTA (Colombia), Feb 27 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — At least five Latin American governments and several companies are considering debt sales to fund environmentally friendly projects in what is expected to be the region’s most active year for the issuance of so-called green bonds since 2017.

BOGOTA, Feb 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Public school teachers in Colombia launched a two-day strike on Thursday to protest violence against the profession and killings of activists and other community leaders, leaving more than 7 million children without classes.

The teachers’ protest precedes a general strike planned for March 25. The action is part of three-month-old protests organised by unions and student groups against the social and economic policies of President Ivan Duque.

20 January 2020; AFP: Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido surfaced in Colombia on Sunday to meet with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, as his power struggle with President Nicolas Maduro entered a challenging new phase.

"Already in #Colombia," the Venezuelan National Assembly leader wrote on Twitter, thanking Colombian President Ivan Duque for his "support for the struggle."

BOGOTA, Jan 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Colombian police thwarted an assassination attempt against Rodrigo Londono, former commander of the demobilized FARC rebels better known by his nom de guerre Timochenko, a senior official said.

General Oscar Atehortua, director of Colombia’s national police, said officers killed two men who planned to commit the attack, which was ordered by commanders of dissident rebels who decided to return to conflict last year.

BOGOTA, Jan 11 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Colombia, a top source of coca, the base ingredient in cocaine, eradicated more than 100,000 hectares of the crop last year, President Ivan Duque said.

The Andean country has come under repeated pressure from the United States, an important destination for cocaine shipments, to reduce coca cultivation, especially as crop figures shot up in recent years.

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has praised Duque’s stepped-up eradication efforts. The Colombian government set out to eradicate 80,000 hectares last year.

BOGOTA, Colombia, Dec 25 (NNN-PRENSA LATINA) – A strong 6.2-magnitude earthquake shook central Colombia on Tuesday, sending residents scrambling for safety, but causing no casualties or major damage, according to authorities.

According to Colombia’s Geological Service, the quake struck at 2:03 p.m. local time, with an epicentre located near Mesetas, in Meta department, and at a depth of 30 kilometres.