Latest Gustavo Petro News

Cocaine trade in the rugged Micay Canyon threatens Colombia's peace efforts

Sep. 04, 2024 13:48 PM EDT

EL PLATEADO, Colombia (AP) — El Plateado in the rugged mountains of southwestern Colombia might seem like a typical community in the countryside — until you hear the bursts of machine-gun fire and mortar blasts in the distance. The remote town of 12,000 people lies in the Micay...

Colombian truckers block highways in main cities in protest over increases in fuel prices

Sep. 03, 2024 17:29 PM EDT

BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) — Thousands of Colombians were forced to walk to work on Tuesday, as truckers in major cities blocked highways to protest a recent increase in the price of diesel fuel. Truckers unions have said that plans by the government to eliminate diesel fuel subsidies...

Real estate magnate who came close to winning Colombia's presidential election dies from cancer

Sep. 02, 2024 16:41 PM EDT

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Rodolfo Hernández, a controversial real estate magnate and anti-corruption crusader who came close to winning Colombia's presidential election two years ago, has died from colon cancer at a hospital near the city of Bucaramanga, his doctors said Monday in a statement. He...

EU: Maduro has not shown 'necessary public evidence' to declare victory in Venezuela elections

Aug. 24, 2024 23:43 PM EDT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The European Union's top diplomat on Saturday said that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has still “not provided the necessary public evidence” to prove he was the winner of July’s elections, days after the country’s Supreme Court backed the government’s disputed...

Latin American effort to mediate Venezuela standoff loses steam as Maduro consolidates rule

Aug. 21, 2024 13:58 PM EDT

MIAMI (AP) — It was a rare diplomatic gamble when the three leaders of Latin America's largest democracies inserted themselves into the high-stakes standoff between Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro and his opponents over who won the country’s presidential election. Dubbed the three...

Colombia’s President Petro was the target of a possible attack in July, says defense minister

Aug. 08, 2024 17:34 PM EDT

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian President Gustavo Petro was the target of a possible attack in July, when he took part in a public event in downtown Bogotá, Defense Minister Iván Velásquez said Thursday, without providing evidence or elaborating further. “There was...

Brazil, Colombia and Mexico in talks with Venezuelan government and opposition on election crisis

Aug. 06, 2024 17:42 PM EDT

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Since Venezuela’s disputed presidential election nine days ago, officials from Brazil, Colombia and Mexico have been in constant contact with representatives of both Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and opposition candidate Edmundo González, seeking a solution to...

Venezuela's Maduro asks top court to audit the presidential election, but observers cry foul

Aug. 01, 2024 00:08 AM EDT

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — President Nicolás Maduro on Wednesday asked Venezuela’s high court to conduct an audit of the presidential election after opposition leaders disputed his claim of victory, drawing criticism from foreign observers who said the court is too close to the government to...

Colombian bullfighters decry new ban on the centuries-old tradition and vow to keep it alive

Jul. 23, 2024 10:19 AM EDT

CHOACHI, Colombia (AP) — Sebastián Caqueza says a new law to ban bullfighting in Colombia by mid-2027 will not dampen his passion for the sport that he has been practicing since has was a small boy. Caqueza became a professional matador five years ago by taunting a fully grown...

Colombia's president signs bill to ban bullfighting in the South American country

Jul. 22, 2024 22:34 PM EDT

BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) — Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Monday signed a bill that bans bullfights in the South American country, further reducing the short list of nations around the world where the centuries-old tradition is still legal. Petro signed it in front of hundreds...