Colombia

BOGOTA, Dec 3 (NNN-Prensa Latina) — Colombia is currently facing another week of anti-government protests as a reflection of social unrest and rejection of policies implemented by the Executive.

Since the massive national strike of Nov 21, mobilizations, rallies, pot-banging protests and other actions take place in the main cities of the country, in which social organizations and the people in general demand deep reforms in areas such as education, health, environment and security.

BOGOTA, Nov 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Colombian unions and student groups will hold another demonstration on Wednesday in honour of a teenage demonstrator who died after being injured by a tear gas canister, after an initial strike last week sparked days of protests.

Demonstrations continued on Tuesday, the sixth straight day of protests following a 250,000-person march last week organized by the National Strike Committee.

BOGOTA, Nov 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Under-fire Colombian President Ivan Duque, the target of days of unprecedented anti-government protests, on Sunday opened a national dialogue aimed at assuaging popular anger.

Duque, who is deeply unpopular just 18 months after his election, “initiated the social dialogue” with mayors and other officials at 3 pm, the presidency said in a statement.

23 November 2019; AFP: Protesters picketed the home of Colombian President Ivan Duque on Friday, defying a curfew and the leader's promises of a "national conversation" on social policies following massive anti-government demonstrations that have left three dead and dozens wounded.

Bogota, Nov 22, AFP/GANASHAKTI: Tens of thousands of Colombians took to the streets of the capital Bogota on Thursday amid a general strike to protest the policies of President Ivan Duque's right-wing government.

There were reports of clashes and arrests as trade unions, students, opposition parties and the South American country's indigenous organisations challenged the full gamut of Duque's economic, social and security policies.

BOGOTA, Nov 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Colombia’s defence minister Guillermo Botero resigned Wednesday after facing accusations of trying to cover up the deaths of several children in a military air strike on a drug trafficking gang.

“Today, in a meeting with the president of the republic to analyse the current political situation, it was agreed that the most suitable thing was to resign from the position of minister of national defence,” Botero said in a statement.

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia’s capital city elected its first female mayor Sunday in what is being hailed as an important advancement for both women and LGBT rights.

Claudia López won the race for mayor of Bogota on a platform promising to combat corruption and advance equal rights for minority communities.

The Alianza Verde candidate captured over 1.1 million votes, or about 35 percent of the vote, defeating runner-up Carlos Galán by 2.7 percentage points.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A South Carolina sheriff faces up to a year in prison and will lose his job after a jury found him guilty Thursday of misconduct in office.

A Greenville jury deliberated more than four hours before splitting its verdicts, finding suspended Greenville County Sheriff Will Lewis guilty of misconduct that involves corruption or fraud, but not guilty of misconduct that involves not doing a public job properly.

BOGOTA, Oct 6 (NNN-Prensa Latina) — The UN has again advocated to accelerate the full implementation of the Peace Agreement signed in 2016 between the Colombian State and the FARC-EP, following continued murders of former guerrillas, social leaders and human rights defenders.

This is reflected in a quarterly report on the subject that covers the period from June 27 to September 26, 2019, and will be officially presented on October 10 to the Security Council, the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia reported.

By JOSHUA GOODMAN and CHRISTINE ARMARIO

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia’s president compared Nicolás Maduro to Serbian war criminal Slobodan Milosevic as he goes on a diplomatic offensive to corral the Venezuelan socialist, warning that he would be making a “stupid” mistake if he were to attack his U.S.-backed neighbor.