By , BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia’s Supreme Court placed former President Alvaro Uribe under house arrest in a unanimous decision on Tuesday while a fraud and witness tampering case continues.Uribe, a mentor of President Ivan Duque who now serves as a senator, has repeatedly declared his innocence in the case and questioned the court’s independence.The court reached the decision after concluding there was potential for obstruction of justice to take place, it said in a statement.“Senator Uribe will serve out his confinement in his residence, from where he can continue to mount his defense,”...…By , BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia’s Supreme Court placed former President Alvaro Uribe under house arrest in a unanimous decision on Tuesday while a fraud and witness tampering case continues.Uribe, a mentor of President Ivan Duque who now serves as a senator, has repeatedly declared his innocence in the case and questioned the court’s independence.The court reached the decision after concluding there was potential for obstruction of justice to take place, it said in a statement.“Senator Uribe will serve out his confinement in his residence, from where he can continue to mount his defense,”...WW…

By ARAUQUITA MUNICIPALITY, Colombia (Reuters) - A dispute over control of drug trafficking between the Venezuelan military and illegal armed groups is behind the violence causing thousands of people to flee to Colombia, Colombian Defense Minister Diego Molano said on Sunday.Slideshow The flow of refugees began a week ago after Venezuela’s National Bolivarian Armed Forces (FANB) launched an offensive against armed groups in La Victoria, a Venezuelan town in Apure state that is located across the Arauca River from Arauquita, Colombia.“There’s the (National Liberation Army), FARC dissidents,...…By ARAUQUITA MUNICIPALITY, Colombia (Reuters) - A dispute over control of drug trafficking between the Venezuelan military and illegal armed groups is behind the violence causing thousands of people to flee to Colombia, Colombian Defense Minister Diego Molano said on Sunday.Slideshow The flow of refugees began a week ago after Venezuela’s National Bolivarian Armed Forces (FANB) launched an offensive against armed groups in La Victoria, a Venezuelan town in Apure state that is located across the Arauca River from Arauquita, Colombia.“There’s the (National Liberation Army), FARC dissidents,...WW…

By ARAUQUITA MUNICIPALITY, Colombia (Reuters) - Venezuelans fleeing to Colombia to escape clashes between the Venezuelan military and irregular armed groups have accused soldiers of abuses, including killing civilians.The flow of refugees, estimated at 4,000 by an official in Colombia’s Arauquita Municipality, began on Sunday after Venezuela’s National Bolivarian Armed Forces (FANB) launched an offensive against illegal armed groups in La Victoria, a Venezuelan town across the Arauca River from Arauquita.Venezuela said it is investigating accusations that members of its military committed...…By ARAUQUITA MUNICIPALITY, Colombia (Reuters) - Venezuelans fleeing to Colombia to escape clashes between the Venezuelan military and irregular armed groups have accused soldiers of abuses, including killing civilians.The flow of refugees, estimated at 4,000 by an official in Colombia’s Arauquita Municipality, began on Sunday after Venezuela’s National Bolivarian Armed Forces (FANB) launched an offensive against illegal armed groups in La Victoria, a Venezuelan town across the Arauca River from Arauquita.Venezuela said it is investigating accusations that members of its military committed...WW…

By BOGOTA (Reuters) - Twitter has suspended accounts linked to FARC dissidents after Colombian police complained that they were being used to encourage violence, and Facebook said it has also removed related content from its platform.The Twitter accounts for @IvanMarquezFarc, belonging to former FARC leader Ivan Marquez, and @SMarquetalia, which is controlled by FARC dissidents who rejected a 2016 peace deal, now read “Account suspended. Twitter suspends accounts which violate the Twitter rules.”The account @JSantrich_FARC, belonging to former FARC leader Jesus Santrich, has also been...…By BOGOTA (Reuters) - Twitter has suspended accounts linked to FARC dissidents after Colombian police complained that they were being used to encourage violence, and Facebook said it has also removed related content from its platform.The Twitter accounts for @IvanMarquezFarc, belonging to former FARC leader Ivan Marquez, and @SMarquetalia, which is controlled by FARC dissidents who rejected a 2016 peace deal, now read “Account suspended. Twitter suspends accounts which violate the Twitter rules.”The account @JSantrich_FARC, belonging to former FARC leader Jesus Santrich, has also been...WW…

By BOGOTA (Reuters) - Twitter has suspended accounts linked to FARC dissidents after Colombian police complained that they were being used to encourage violence, and Facebook said it has also removed related content from its platform.The Twitter accounts for @IvanMarquezFarc, belonging to former FARC leader Ivan Marquez, and @SMarquetalia, which is controlled by FARC dissidents who rejected a 2016 peace deal, now read “Account suspended. Twitter suspends accounts which violate the Twitter rules.”The account @JSantrich_FARC, belonging to former FARC leader Jesus Santrich, has also been...…By BOGOTA (Reuters) - Twitter has suspended accounts linked to FARC dissidents after Colombian police complained that they were being used to encourage violence, and Facebook said it has also removed related content from its platform.The Twitter accounts for @IvanMarquezFarc, belonging to former FARC leader Ivan Marquez, and @SMarquetalia, which is controlled by FARC dissidents who rejected a 2016 peace deal, now read “Account suspended. Twitter suspends accounts which violate the Twitter rules.”The account @JSantrich_FARC, belonging to former FARC leader Jesus Santrich, has also been...WW…

By BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia must restart aerial fumigation of coca with the herbicide glyphosate as soon as possible to reduce cocaine production, income for illegal armed groups, massacres and the killings of human rights activists, the defense minister said.The Andean country, a top producer of cocaine, suspended aerial fumigation with glyphosate in 2015 on concerns by the World Health Organization (WHO) it may cause cancer.Cultivation of coca, the base ingredient in cocaine, subsequently shot up to its highest levels in nearly two decades in 2017, according to United Nations...…By BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia must restart aerial fumigation of coca with the herbicide glyphosate as soon as possible to reduce cocaine production, income for illegal armed groups, massacres and the killings of human rights activists, the defense minister said.The Andean country, a top producer of cocaine, suspended aerial fumigation with glyphosate in 2015 on concerns by the World Health Organization (WHO) it may cause cancer.Cultivation of coca, the base ingredient in cocaine, subsequently shot up to its highest levels in nearly two decades in 2017, according to United Nations...WW…

By , BOGOTA (Reuters) - The mayor of Bogota begged forgiveness on Sunday and called for reconciliation after protests in Colombia’s capital the past week left 10 civilians dead and hundreds injured.Slideshow Protests in Bogota and satellite city Soacha began following the death on Wednesday of Javier Ordonez, 46. A widely shared video showed the father of two being repeatedly shocked with a stun gun by police. He died later in a hospital.During protests on Wednesday, seven young people, including teenagers, died after being shot in Bogota. Three other people died in connection with the...…By , BOGOTA (Reuters) - The mayor of Bogota begged forgiveness on Sunday and called for reconciliation after protests in Colombia’s capital the past week left 10 civilians dead and hundreds injured.Slideshow Protests in Bogota and satellite city Soacha began following the death on Wednesday of Javier Ordonez, 46. A widely shared video showed the father of two being repeatedly shocked with a stun gun by police. He died later in a hospital.During protests on Wednesday, seven young people, including teenagers, died after being shot in Bogota. Three other people died in connection with the...WW…

By BOGOTA (Reuters) - Residents in poor parts of Bogota, the Colombian capital, blocked roads on Thursday to demand authorities make good on promises of aid so they can survive a national quarantine designed to stop the spread of the coronavirus.Slideshow The quarantine, now in its fourth week, is set to last until April 27.President Ivan Duque and Bogota Mayor Claudia Lopez have announced millions of pesos worth of aid for the poorest members of society who lost their income due to the lockdown.Yet residents in the south of Bogota, which has a population of about 7 million people, said...…By BOGOTA (Reuters) - Residents in poor parts of Bogota, the Colombian capital, blocked roads on Thursday to demand authorities make good on promises of aid so they can survive a national quarantine designed to stop the spread of the coronavirus.Slideshow The quarantine, now in its fourth week, is set to last until April 27.President Ivan Duque and Bogota Mayor Claudia Lopez have announced millions of pesos worth of aid for the poorest members of society who lost their income due to the lockdown.Yet residents in the south of Bogota, which has a population of about 7 million people, said...WW…

By BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia’s attorney general’s office said on Thursday it will issue arrest warrants for 10 mayors for alleged acts of corruption during the country’s two months of coronavirus lockdown.In addition, the Andean country’s inspector general is moving ahead on 512 disciplinary processes involving 26 provincial governments and 271 mayor’s offices.Corruption is a hot-button political issue in Colombia. Graft costs the country an estimated 5% of its gross domestic product a year, equivalent to about $13 billion, according to the comptroller.Colombian authorities have...…By BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia’s attorney general’s office said on Thursday it will issue arrest warrants for 10 mayors for alleged acts of corruption during the country’s two months of coronavirus lockdown.In addition, the Andean country’s inspector general is moving ahead on 512 disciplinary processes involving 26 provincial governments and 271 mayor’s offices.Corruption is a hot-button political issue in Colombia. Graft costs the country an estimated 5% of its gross domestic product a year, equivalent to about $13 billion, according to the comptroller.Colombian authorities have...WW…