Latest from Colombia

On World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, Colombia’s immigration authority reaffirmed its commitment to fighting human trafficking, unveiling new data and highlighting strengthened collaborations with law enforcement and international partners.

A Colombian court on Monday found former President Álvaro Uribe Vélez guilty of witness tampering and procedural fraud, marking an unprecedented moment in the country’s history and igniting a political firestorm at home and abroad.

The defense team of former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe Vélez has issued a sharp condemnation of the judicial process that led to his conviction on three accounts of procedural fraud and witness tampering, calling the case a “textbook example of lawfare” marked by political interference, illegal surveillance, and systematic violations of due process.

Colombia’s most consequential political figure in recent history, former President Álvaro Uribe Vélez, will learn his fate on Monday as Judge Sandra Heredia delivers a verdict in a landmark witness tampering case that has divided the nation and could reshape the country’s political landscape ahead of the 2026 presidential elections.

An alleged assassination plot against Bogotá Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán, reported earlier this week as part of a media investigation, has been officially dismissed by Colombia’s Attorney General’s Office, which clarified that the claims were based on an out-of-context phone intercept unrelated to any real threat against the city’s top official.

What began as a national day of celebration quickly turned into a stark reminder of Colombia’s worsening internal conflict. On July 20, as cities and towns across the country commemorated the 215th anniversary of independence with parades and patriotic displays of the tricolor flag, three Colombian soldiers were killed and eight others wounded in a drone attack in the mountainous northeastern region of Catatumbo.

Starting October 1, Colombians and other foreign nationals seeking to visit the United States will face significantly higher visa fees, following the approval of new immigration measures contained in the “One Big Beautiful Bill” pushed by U.S. President Donald Trump and passed by Congress.

In two high-impact security operations across the Colombian capital on Thursday, Bogotá Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán announced the dismantling of a major drug trafficking network operating near educational institutions, as well as the seizure of 150 stolen vehicle engines hidden in shops posing as legitimate businesses. The coordinated actions are part of a broader crackdown targeting organized crime and urban insecurity, two growing concerns among city residents.

In a country where 8 out of 10 daily transactions are still conducted in cash, Colombia is making a bold move to usher in the era of real-time digital payments. With the official launch in September of BRE-B – a centralized, free-to-use platform backed by the Central Bank – Colombia is aiming to unify its fragmented financial ecosystem and increase financial inclusion across urban and rural regions.

Colombian authorities have arrested Giuseppe Palermo, alias “Peppe,” the alleged top leader of Italy’s ‘Ndrangheta mafia in Latin America, dealing a significant blow to one of the world’s most powerful criminal organizations, police officials announced on Monday.