RSSYesterday, at least one Colombian agency enacted what seems to be an atypical act of political bravery against the United States. The Colombian Constitutional Court, not particularly known for its audacious moves, has suspended the defense agreement Colombia signed with the United States in 2009 on[...]
Archive for the Category: "Colombia"
August 18th, 2010 - 11:46 am § in Colombia, Front Page
Colombian Court Stands Tall on US Military Base Issue
Colombia-Venezuela: South America’s Most Preeminent Couple
After a car bomb exploded in Bogotá on August 12, 2010, Colombia’s National Police Chief, General Cesar Pinzon, blamed leftist guerillas for being the authors of the blast. While this could be true, there is no definitive evidence at this time. Another possible theory, such as that the perpetr[...]
After Dramatic Actions, Colombia and Venezuela Carefully Move Back Bellicosity: Personal Conviction or Diplomatic Suicide?
On July 15, 2010, Colombia filed a formal complaint with the Organization of American States (OAS) accusing neighboring Venezuela of harboring upwards of 1,500 FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia) fighters as well as ELN (Ejército de Liberación Nacional) rebels. Colombia’s Defens[...]
August 9th, 2010 - 10:49 am § in COHA Opinion, Colombia, Free Trade, Front Page, Uncategorized, Venezuela
COHA Opinion: Misguided Priorities at Mercosur Summit
At a Mercosur summit on August 3rd in Argentina, member states applauded their success in finally making the trade organization into a full customs union, a process that has been heatedly debated since December 1994. Almost completely absent from the agenda, however, was the important matter of r[...]
July 6th, 2010 - 12:53 pm § in Colombia, Front Page
FARC – Rebels with a Cause?
According to Washington’s somewhat loose definition of a “terrorist” organization, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the FARC, is one of the strongest and most notorious guerrilla organizations in Latin America. Members of the FARC are often described as delinquent insurgents who ha[...]
June 2nd, 2010 - 10:36 am § in Colombia, Front Page
After Surprising First Round Elections in Colombia, Two Candidates to Vie for Presidency on June 20
As the campaigning period for Colombia’s 2010 presidential elections drew to a close on May 23, the two major candidates, Antanas Mockus of the Partido Verde and Juan Manuel Santos of the Partido de la U, found themselves in the heat of an extremely close race. Virtually every public opinion poll[...]
Colombian and Panamanian Human Rights Records Hinder Free Trade Agreement
• Panama and Colombia’s human rights records are poor and will defy cosmetic rehabilitation. • Obama’s credibility will be on the line if he tries to distort reality in order to justify that conditions are right for a Free Trade Agreement to be implemented. • President Obama voted before a[...]
Are Hugo Chávez and Evo Morales Enemies of the United States?
Adversaries, yes. Enemies, no (at least not yet). However, they are enemies of global capitalism which, in the eyes of some Americans, makes Chávez and Morales enemies of the American people. But this is one of many misleading impressions which inadequate Latin America coverage by U.S. media help[...]
May 5th, 2010 - 11:07 am § in Colombia, Front Page
Green is for Go in Colombia
• COHA op-ed of the week An extraordinary event may be reflected in Colombia’s electoral polling: conceivably the politics of thuggery, corruption and Bogotá-inspired violence under the ruling Uribe administration, is being successfully challenged by Mockus’ Green Party. The amazing rise of[...]
May 4th, 2010 - 11:26 am § in Colombia, Front Page
Colombia: Latin America’s, if not the World’s, Capital of Internally Displaced People
• Colombian civilians forced to flee homes and seek shelter in Ecuador to escape violence • Homelessness is an issue of immense importance and has been consistently neglected by Bogotá • Colombia – The world’s leader in homelessness Having an estimated population of 43,677,372, Colombi[...]