Stories from Colombia

Armed groups, including the ELN and the Frente 33 of the Alias Calarca dissidents, are pressuring students to attend classrooms in Filogringo, a sub-district of Carcel. The pressure comes amid ongoing regional instability. Heavy cargo transport has been reduced in departments such as Cauca and Valle due to recent violence. The report was made by Caracol Radio. Mayor Eider Robles alerted that drone attacks are part of the situation. The pressure has been ongoing for 15 days, according to the report. Mayor Eider Robles stated he cannot authorize the presence of students in educational institutions due to extreme risks from drone attacks. The situation is occurring in the Tarra municipality of Norte Santander. No new specific facts provided in the current feed to update the existing story.

An avalanche occurred in several zones of the Cundinamarca department during the night. The landslide swept away houses and forced the rescue of children amidst a storm. The emergency was reported to have intensified around 8:00 PM. Local responders worked to assist residents caught in the flow.

Authorities transported victims to the Puerto Colombia municipal hospital before transferring them via ambulance to the Porto Azul clinic. A 20-day-old baby is reported to be in delicate health following the incident. Preliminary reports from authorities suggest the attack may be linked to retaliations involving micro-trafficking of drugs. The specific motives for the attack remain under investigation. A newborn baby named Vanessa was killed during a violent incident linked to micro-trafficking in Puerto Colombia. The attack occurred during the early hours of the day, according to the report. Local authorities are investigating the connection to drug trafficking in the area.

The Contraloría General de la República is investigating alleged irregularities involving public funds used to benefit criminal lawyer Juan José Lafori Cabal. The audit was contracted through Rentabilidad RH to verify compliance and generate technical evidence. The investigation involves 400 million pesos, including 95,273,700 pesos linked to José Feliz Laforí and Senator María Fernanda Cabal. An audit by Finagro identified a documentary finding regarding property ownership for a farm. The audit found a discrepancy between the registered owner of the property and the contract provided. Juan José La Foricaba reportedly presented the application to the bank to secure benefits by claiming ownership of the land. The audit found that the property papers for the farm do not match, which constitutes a documentary finding that requires clarification.

Gunmen entered a home and opened fire in the Atlántico department of Colombia. The attack resulted in a 20-day-old infant and the infant's parents being taken from the residence. Local authorities are currently responding to the incident.

A truck carrying 3,000 live eels was set on fire on the Caloto road near Rio in Colombia. Video footage reportedly captures the sounds of the animals dying while being burned alive. The incident occurred amid a worsening situation in the southwest region over the last 48 hours. The act is being treated as a matter of animal cruelty under the penal code. Circulating videos show the animals dying from the fire.

Public security forces are currently engaged in combat with armed groups in the Cauca region.

Colombian cyclist Nairo Quintana is expected to retire from professional cycling in 2026. His final race of the current year is projected to be the Vuelta a España, scheduled from August 22 to September 13. Quintana has previously won the Vuelta a España.

A landslide has blocked the highway at kilometer 96 near Vereda Curubital on the Mosquera-La Mesa route. Authorities stated that reopening the corridor depends on a decrease in rainfall. While weather conditions improved in the afternoon, material continues to fall from the mountain. Drivers are urgently advised to use alternative routes.

Colombian presidential candidate Paloma Valencia reported receiving a death threat from the FARC's Frente 42 dissident group. Sanchez stated that intelligence efforts are being used to ensure security. The presidential election campaign in Colombia has taken a violent turn ahead of the May 31 election. Candidate Paloma Valencia has denounced an administration project. President Gustavo Petro has implemented a strategy to centralize all official communications through his own person. According to communications advisor Andrés Hernández, only the President is authorized to speak unless he expressly grants permission to another official. This move follows a meeting between Rodríguez and President Petro on Monday afternoon. The strategy aims to control the flow of information from the presidency.