Colombia
Use the force: Part II
Critical State, a foreign policy newsletter by Inkstick Media, takes a deep dive this week into what happened when Colombia’s military took on police work in Cali, the country’s third-largest city.
‘We were treated as disposable beings’: Waste pickers in Colombia fought for their rights after 11 murders
Afghan families traverse most of Latin America to seek asylum at the US border
Migration across Darién Gap changes Colombian village’s economy
As Title 42 ends, more migrants from South America are crossing the Darién jungle en route to US
In Colombia’s capital, the ‘purple patrol’ fights sexual harassment on crowded buses
Bogotá is trying to curb sexual harassment against women on public transportation systems. It’s trained more than 500 police officers as part of the purple patrol to respond to cases of gender-based violence. Female police officers also hand out leaflets with information about hotlines that women can call for assistance.
Thousands of passengers are stranded after Colombia’s Viva Air grounds flights
Thousands of passengers were stranded in airports in Colombia and several other Latin American countries this week following the collapse of the budget airline, Viva Air. It's the latest airline company to fold amid decreasing passenger demand and higher oil prices.
This Colombian town is dimming its lights to attract more tourists to view the night sky
Thousands of people gather every year in Villa de Leyva, Colombia, for the annual Astronomy Festival. Now, event organizers are working with the local government to implement lasting improvements for the town to draw more tourists to see the stars.
Shakira's latest hit slamming her ex breaks records for Latin artists on YouTube
Shakira's release this week shot up to the top of the charts. It's a scathing breakup song with her ex: Spanish soccer star Gerard Piqué.
Colombia’s plan to ban bullfighting sparks debate on tradition, animal rights
Bullfighting has become less popular as views about animal rights change in Colombia. But in some parts of the country, it is still a highly esteemed tradition.
To reduce its emissions, Colombian ranch experiments with a new variety of grass
In the remote Colombian province of Vichada, mostly covered by savannah and small forests, the San Jose ranch is trying to show that there are ways for cattle ranching to be more environmentally friendly — and still be profitable.
Colombia’s govt launches peace talks with the nation’s largest-remaining rebel group
Talks with the rebels started on Nov. 22 in the Venezuelan capital city of Caracas where delegates from both sides fielded questions from journalists.
New Biden policy leaves thousands of Venezuelan migrants stranded
The Biden administration announced a plan that will automatically reject all Venezuelans seeking asylum at the US border with Mexico if they enter the country without authorization. The deal will only benefit a fraction of asylum-seekers.
Brazil’s neighbors wary of environmental impact of a Bolsonaro victory
Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has promised to continue facilitating mining and agro industry in Brazil’s portion of the Amazon if he wins another four-year term. But destruction of the Amazon affects the air quality and jeopardizes the water supply in neighboring countries.
Colombia and Venezuela reopen shared border after years of closure
Residents from Colombia and Venezuela turned out in large numbers last week to welcome the reopening of their shared border to vehicles. Two commercial trucks, covered with the respective flags of each country, crossed the border point, marking the end of seven years of closure.