Colombian President Gustavo Petro asserted that a U.S. naval strike on a narcotics ship was aimed at “a Colombian vessel with Colombian citizens on board.” The White House forcefully rejected his accusation, demanding a retraction and calling the claim “baseless and reprehensible.”
The U.S. military has again struck a Venezuelan vessel in international waters, targeting what it says were narcoterrorists transporting illegal drugs. According to President Trump, three people onboard were killed in this latest strike. The operation marks a fresh escalation in the Trump administration’s push to combat drug trafficking from Latin America, particularly by cracking down on cartels believed to be using maritime routes.
An appellate court in Bogotá, Colombia, has overturned the house arrest of conservative former President Álvaro Uribe, declaring the measure a violation of his presumption of innocence and unsupported by evidence. Uribe, who governed Colombia from 2002 to 2010, is appealing a conviction for bribery and abuse of procedure that many conservatives argue amounts to political persecution.
Colombia’s former conservative president Álvaro Uribe Vélez has been sentenced to 12 years of house arrest following a court ruling that found him guilty of abuse of procedure and bribery of a public official. The sentence, handed down Friday by Judge Sandra Heredia, also bars Uribe from holding public office for over eight years and includes a fine exceeding $840,000.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro issued a formal apology to President Donald Trump after falsely accusing Secretary of State Marco Rubio of plotting a coup, sparking a diplomatic rift between the two nations. In a letter dated June 23 and confirmed by multiple Colombian outlets, Petro backtracked on his explosive claims, calling for a reset in U.S.-Colombia relations.
A Washington man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for his role in a large international drug smuggling ring with direct ties to Mexico and Colombia. Curtis McDaniel, 56, received his sentence Thursday in U.S. District Court in Seattle after his June 2024 arrest during a joint operation led by the DEA, Seattle Police, and IRS Criminal Investigation.
A 55-year-old French man has been arrested and charged in France for allegedly commissioning livestreamed sexual abuse of children in Colombia. The Paris prosecutor’s office announced that the suspect faces multiple charges, including complicity in human trafficking of minors under 15, rape and sexual assault of minors—including incestuous acts—and possession of child pornography.
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) carried out 24 coordinated terrorist bombings Tuesday in the southwestern departments of Valle del Cauca and Cauca, killing eight people and injuring at least 78 others. Fourteen victims remain in critical condition.
