Latest Gustavo Petro News

Colombia's congress votes to ban bullfights, dealing a blow to the centuries-old tradition

May. 29, 2024 02:40 AM EDT

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia’s congress voted Tuesday to ban bullfights in the South American nation, delivering a serious blow to a centuries-old tradition that has inspired famous songs and novels but has become increasingly controversial in the countries where it is still practiced. ...

Insurance company Sura withdraws from Colombia's health system as government pushes for control

May. 28, 2024 19:51 PM EDT

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian insurance company Sura announced on Tuesday that it will withdraw from the nation’s health system because the resources it receives from Colombia’s government to manage more than 5 million patients are not enough to cover its growing costs. ...

Colombia's ex-President Uribe charged with witness tampering in polarizing legal battle

May. 24, 2024 18:55 PM EDT

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe was charged Friday in a long-running witness tampering investigation. Uribe was formally charged with witness tampering and bribery for his efforts to discredit a political opponent who was digging into Uribe’s...

Violence intensifies in southwest Colombia as FARC holdout group attacks police and military

May. 20, 2024 19:11 PM EDT

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Violence intensified in southwestern Colombia on Monday when a bomb blast injured six people in the city of Jamundi and an attack by insurgents on a police station in the rural town of Morales left at least two officers dead, according to police. ...

Colombia breaks diplomatic ties with Israel but its military relies on key Israeli-built equipment

May. 03, 2024 08:52 AM EDT

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia has become the latest Latin American country to announce that it will break diplomatic relations with Israel over its military campaign in Gaza, but the repercussions for the South American nation could be broader than for other countries because of longstanding...

Colombia's president says country will break diplomatic relations with Israel over war in Gaza

May. 02, 2024 03:55 AM EDT

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Wednesday announced his government will break diplomatic relations with Israel effective Thursday in the latest escalation of tensions between the countries over the Israel-Hamas war. Petro again described Israel’s...

Colombia's president says thousands of grenades and bullets have gone missing from army bases

Apr. 30, 2024 16:40 PM EDT

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian President Gustavo Petro said Tuesday that hundreds of thousands of pieces of ammunition have gone missing from two military bases in the South American country. In a brief statement, Petro said that an inspection this month by the army found that...

A Colombian army helicopter has crashed in a rural area of the country's north, killing 9 soldiers

Apr. 29, 2024 19:30 PM EDT

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — An army helicopter carrying supplies to troops crashed in a rural area in northern Colombia on Monday, killing nine soldiers on board, the country’s armed forces said. In a statement, the Colombian military said the helicopter was taking the supplies to...

Tens of thousands of Colombians protest against the leftist president's reform agenda

Apr. 22, 2024 00:51 AM EDT

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Thousands of Colombians took to the streets Sunday in the latest rebuke of leftist President Gustavo Petro's reform agenda. The demonstrations took place in several cities, including the capital. Protesters filled Bolivar Plaza outside the presidential...

Colombian security forces attacked with explosives after a cease-fire breaks down

Apr. 05, 2024 12:32 PM EDT

BOGOTÁ (AP) — Colombia suffered a series of attacks Thursday night and Friday morning, marking the first major assault against its military since a mafia group born from the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) announced it was scaling up operations earlier this week. ...