(2021-05-06). Progressive International Statement On The Duque Massacres In Colombia. popularresistance.org On 28 April, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in a nation-wide strike to oppose the neoliberal policies of the Iván Duque government, and his record of violence against social leaders. The government responded with brutal repression. An atrocity is unfolding in Colombia. Since he took power, Iván Duque's regime has been …
(2021-05-06). USAID Admits To Venezuela Regime Change Fraud. popularresistance.org Red Lines host Anya Parampil explores a new report issued by USAID's Office of the Inspector General which admits the agency's policy on Venezuela was driven by the State Department and National Security Council's push for regime change. The report specifically investigated USAID's attempt to use the US military to force aid through Venezuela's border with Colombia on February 23, 2019. Anya highlights the most interesting findings in the audit, including that USAID failed to put proper fraud controls in place in order to appease US officials seeking to overthrow Venezuela's elected government.
(2021-05-06). Over 30 People Reportedly Killed Within Week of Colombian Protests. sputniknews.com MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) — At least 31 people have been killed, 1,220 have been injured and 87 have gone missing in a week of protests in Colombia, the Institute for Development and Peace Studies said.
(2021-05-06). Colombian Campesino Leader: This Is An Authoritarian Regime. popularresistance.org First of all, we, as a campesino association, the National Agrarian Coordinating Committee, have been involved in the mobilizations from the very beginning and from there we have helped to maintain the mobilizations which have taken place over the course of the last several days. | There have already been some partial achievements. I say partial achievements because they are simply moves by the establishment to try to demobilize the protests. I am referring to what is already happening with the withdrawal of the tax reform as a bill, but also the resignation of the Minister of Finance and his Vice Minister. But t…
(2021-05-06). Anonymous Colombia Puts Duque on the Ropes with Massive Hacking Operation. orinocotribune.com 
The Anonymous group has been active during the human rights crisis in Colombia, sending a strong message to Iván Duque and taking down webpages of the Army, Senate, and Presidency. | On Tuesday, the international anarchist organization Anonymous reported through social media networks that it had returned "to Colombia due to the injustices generated" in the context of police and military repression against protests that have left 19 dead, 89 disappeared, and hundreds injured in the past week, according to the National Ombudsperson's Office. However, Anonymous often remains silent regarding the near-weekly massacre…
(2021-05-06). Colombian Campesino Leader: This is an Authoritarian Regime. orinocotribune.com 
We interviewed Ernesto Alexander Roa,
(2021-05-06). From Colombia to Palestine, resist imperialist crimes! Samidoun solidarity statement with the people of Colombia. samidoun.net 
Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network expresses its strongest solidarity with the people's movement and political prisoners of Colombia, facing the U.S.-backed right-wing regime of Ivan Duque, police murder and targeted assassinations, and harsh repression of mass protests. Thousands of people in Colombia have been marching for the past eight days against the tax policy of the right-wing Duque administration, supported by the United States and also involved in U.S.-directed regime change operations targeting Venezuela, Bolivia, and other progressive governments throughout Latin America. This movement h…
(2021-05-06). This is how President Maduro Welcomed Steven Seagal in Miraflores. orinocotribune.com 
The famous US actor Steven Seagal visited President Nicolás Maduro at the Miraflores Palace this Tuesday, May 4, in a meeting full of symbolism about values such as international friendship, culture, cooperation, and fighting spirit. | For these reasons, the Venezuelan president thanked Seagal for his gesture. Seagal currently holds the position of special envoy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, the country that also granted him citizenship. In addition, Seagal is a recognized master of martial arts, especially the discipline called Aikido. | The head of state expressed, through his Twitte…
(2021-05-06). Massacre of protesters and economic crisis push Colombia workers to strike. peoplesworld.org 
Colombia is in the midst of another general strike, with unions saying the government has failed to listen to demands for emergency measures to deal with rising poverty and hunger. Monday night's massacre of protesters by police in the city of Cali have further enraged the democratic and people's movements in the country and garnered …
(2021-05-06). Colombia's Piedad Córdoba Confronts Duque & his Vice President: What Would This Pair be Saying if the Massacre was in Venezuela? + Facebook Censorship. orinocotribune.com 
Amid the wave of state violence against civilian protesters after seven days of demonstrations against the Colombian government's neoliberal policies, former Colombian Senator Piedad Córdoba confronted Colombian President Iván Duque and his Vice President Marta Lucía Ramírez. | "Think for a minute what you would say today, Iván Duque and Marta Lucía Ramírez, if last night's massacre in Siloé had happened in Venezuela," wrote Córdoba on Twitter. "Today it happened to your own people, and you said nothing!" | Piensen por un momento qué estaría diciendo hoy Iván Duque y Marta Lucía Ramírez, si la matanza de anoche e…
(2021-05-06). "Nothing to Lose": Colombians Protest "Fascist Mafia Regime" Amid Deadly Police & Military Crackdown. democracynow.org 
At least 30 people in Colombia have been reportedly killed since a nationwide uprising erupted against the government of right-wing President Iván Duque. Protesters are vowing to remain in the streets amid a deadly crackdown by police and military officers. About 800 people have been injured and 87 people are missing in the midst of the demonstrations, which were initially sparked by a now-withdrawn tax reform proposal, but they have since expanded in scope. People in Colombia are also denouncing rampant police brutality and demanding broader social, economic and political reforms. At least 15 people were killed…
(2021-05-06). USAID admits to Venezuela regime change fraud. thegrayzone.com Red Lines host Anya Parampil explores an internal USAID report admitting the agency's policy on Venezuela was driven by the State Department and National Security Council's push for regime change. The report specifically investigated USAID's attempt to use the US military to force aid through Venezuela's border with Colombia on February 23, 2019. Anya highlights the most interesting findings in the audit, including that USAID failed to put proper fraud controls in place in order to appease US officials seeking …
(2021-05-06). Venezuelan Parliament Appoints New Electoral Authorities with Two Opposition Members. venezuelanalysis.com The new CNE was the product of behind-the-scenes dialogue between the Maduro government and moderate opposition sectors.
(2021-05-06). Crisis & Critique: The Ibero-American Summit's Impact on Venezuela. orinocotribune.com By Ociel Alí López — Apr 30, 2021 | VA columnist Ociel López highlights the de facto recognition of the Maduro government by Washington-aligned countries in the recent international event. | The Ibero-American Summit is an event that brings together the presidents or senior representatives of Latin America, Spain, Portugal and Andorra. On April 21, the XXVII meeting was held in Andorra, although most participants attended virtually. | The main theme was "innovation for sustainable development," but for obvious reasons it was the Covid-19 pandemic that ended up taking center stage. | The event's first importa…
(2021-05-06). Venezuela Reiterates Its Commitment To Human Rights And Justice. popularresistance.org Mexico City, Mexico – The Venezuelan Attorney General's Office submitted an updated report to the International Criminal Court (ICC) on April 30 detailing its efforts to address alleged human rights abuses by state officials. | In September 2018, Venezuela's right-wing opposition, with support from the US and a handful of allied countries, filed a suit before the ICC accusing the Nicolás Maduro government of being responsible for "crimes against humanity" during violent anti-government protests in 2017. | Attorney General Tarek William Saab said his office had engaged in "meticulous" work to defend human rights.
(2021-05-06). US Special Forces trained Mexican drug cartels linked to decapitation, torture, rape. thegrayzone.com An investigation into how U.S. Special Forces trained feared Mexican drug cartels responsible for grisly murders, and how Pentagon-backed counter-insurgency in Colombia and Guatemala has bled into organized crime. (This article was first published in CovertAction Magazine.) The Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) has established itself as one of the most feared paramilitaries in Mexico over the last decade. Images of the group have become the standard depiction of the Mexican cartels writ large. Their propaganda videos often feature groups …
(2021-05-06). Colombia's National Strike: An On-the-Ground Report. popularresistance.org Colombia's national strike — or paro (stoppage) as it is called locally — began on April 28 with enormous protests and on May 5 entered its eighth day, with another round of mass protests around the country. Truck drivers and rural communities have joined in, paralyzing entire swathes of the country. | What provoked these protests was yet another tax reform from the extreme right-wing government of Iván Duque, the third of his government. As the Colombian economist Libardo Sarmiento Anzola wrote in Le Monde Diplomatique: | The three tax reforms of the Duque administration (2018—2022) have one co…
(2021-05-06). The Striking Silence of OAS' Luis Almagro on Colombia's Human Rights Crisis. orinocotribune.com While there are plenty of reasons to be aware of what is happening in Colombia, the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro , looks the other way. | As of noon this Tuesday, May 5, the Uruguayan head of OAS had not said a word about the human rights crisis in Colombia, nor has he expressed any crisis of conscience regarding the police repression and human rights abuses, which according to the National Strike Committee, had killed 27 people by May 2. | Instead of following events that should concern him, due to his high position in the regional organization, Almagro met via vid…
(2021-05-06). Gabriel García Márquez And Magical Internationalism. popularresistance.org Sometimes what is obvious hides what is important. Gabriel García Márquez is best known as the craftsman par excellence of the genre 'magical realism', rather than his profound passion for the profession of journalism that led him to traverse—with the eagerness of a chronicler and a vallenato rhythm in his step—countless cafes, newsrooms, and continents. | Gabo, or Gabito, as he was known to his friends in Aracataca, a town camouflaged among the banana plantations of Colombia's Caribbean coast, produced a journalism that few recognize, journalism militantly committed to a national and global context.
(2021-05-06). Colombia's Violent and Sleepless Nights. latinorebels.com Data from Temblores ONG, an organization that has been receiving reports directly from citizens, says that as of May 5, 37 people have died due to police violence.
(2021-05-06). One Year after Defeat of Operation Gideon, Heroism of Chuao's Militia Recognized. orinocotribune.com Governor of Aragua, Rodolfo Marco Torres, presented decorations to militia and police officers of Chuao, who a year ago took the lead in capturing a group of mercenaries on the coast of Aragua. The mercenaries were embarked on a terrorist plot—Operation Gideon—launched from Colombia and promoted by the US government, with the goal of destroying critical infrastructure and kidnapping or assassinating the president of Venezuela. | The group of citizens and policemen were recognized by the people as the "warriors of Chuao," and awarded the Order of Santiago Mariño in recognition of their bravery and effe…
(2021-05-06). Colombian security forces are massacring people on the streets. thecanary.co In Colombia the right-wing government of Iván Duque is killing people taking part in an ongoing national strike protesting the government's economic policies and widespread human rights abuses. | Since the strike began at the end of April, Colombian human rights groups have estimated that In addition to the killings, there has been a major militarisation of cities, with reports of disappearances, sexual assaults on wom…
(2021-05-06). Violent Anti-Government Protests in Colombia. sputniknews.com Earlier, Colombian President Ivan Duque asked Congress to withdraw a tax reform proposal and urgently discuss a new one amid nationwide protests.
(2021-05-06). Colombia: National strike defeats tax reform for now, repression and militarisation continue. greenleft.org.au In response to days of national strikes and mobilisations across Colombia, security forces have unleashed unprecedented repression against peaceful protesters, reports People's Dispatch.
(2021-05-06). Venezuela Inaugurates CNE Board: Meet the New Authorities. orinocotribune.com At noon on Wednesday, May 5, the new board of directors of Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) was installed, in a session in which they assigned the responsibilities that each rector will assume. | Rector Pedro Enrique Calzadilla Pérez reported that during the meeting held by the new electoral authorities, they decided who will be responsible for the various tasks within the CNE. | "We are the result of an agreement. This governing body is the result of a historic national agreement of the country's political [and[ social forces, to redirect Venezuela to political stability in adherence with the dynamic…
(2021-05-05). Rebellion sweeps Colombia despite deadly repression. liberationnews.org 
Massive protests are taking place throughout Colombia as people stand firm in the face of deadly police violence. Since April 28, when a general strike was called to oppose deeply regressive proposed tax reforms, nationwide demonstrations against far right President Iván Duque have been ongoing. "The repression on the streets perpetuated by the police force …
(2021-05-05). #SOSColombia: UN, EU & Rest of World Condemn Duque's Genocide. orinocotribune.com 
Hundreds of reactions from international figures and organizations have been expressed in support of the Colombian people in struggle. Although large media corporations have been oblivious to what has been happening in Colombia, so as to hide State responsibility in the killings of civilians during the ongoing popular demonstrations against Iván Duque's policies, many around the world have described the acts of brutality as "genocide." | En video quedó registrado el momento en el que matrimonios de Policías y ESMAD persiguen a manifestantes en el barrio Fátima en Manizales. En otro video se evidencia que Policías…
(2021-05-05). Venezuela's National Assembly Appoints New Electoral Authorities (CNE). orinocotribune.com 
This Tuesday, May 4, in accordance with the provisions of Venezuela's Magna Carta, the National Assembly (AN), by a qualified majority, selected the rectors of the National Electoral Council (CNE) for a period of seven consecutive years. These are 15 qualified individuals, chosen from a list of 103 applications, who have been thoroughly reviewed by the special legislative commission designated for this purpose. | Once the files had been reviewed in a special session, the following were elected as main rectors: | ‚Ä¢ Pedro Enrique Calzadilla Pérez, professor and historian | ‚Ä¢ Alex…
(2021-05-05). Venezuela Begins Clinical Trials of Russian EpiVacCorona Vaccine—Russian Ambassador First to be Vaccinated. orinocotribune.com 
Venezuela officially began clinical trials of Russian vaccine EpiVacCorona, as the Russian ambassador to Caracas, Sergey Melik-Bagdasarov, became the first volunteer to receive a dose of the COVID-19 immunization drug. | The start of clinical trials was reported by the Executive Vice President, Delcy Rodríguez, who noted that the vaccine simulates small fragments of the virus; this strengthens the immune system of recipients to prevent COVID-19. | "Thus begins the process of applying the vaccine candidate EpiVacCorona to combat COVID-19 in the country," said Rodríguez, "a vaccine developed by Russia that is advan…
(2021-05-05). Violent Crackdown On Colombia Protests Leaves At Least 19 Dead (18+, Videos). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | The UN Human Rights office (OHCR) expressed its concern over the violent crackdown on protests against tax changes in the Colombian city of Cali. | In comments made on May 4th, during a press briefing in Geneva, spokeswoman Maria Hurtado said the body was working to verify the exact number of casualties but reports suggested a number of people had been killed and wounded overnight in Cali."We express our profound shock at the events there and stress our solidarity with those…
(2021-05-05). Venezuela Reiterates Its Commitment to Human Rights and Justice in ICC Report. venezuelanalysis.com Attorney General Saab stressed Venezuela's willingness to work with the ICC but expressed frustration with the court's "lack of transparency."
(2021-05-05). Colombians Keep Protesting Despite Curfew. telesurenglish.net Human rights advocate Andres Maiz confirmed that Colombians remained in the streets protesting on Tuesday night despite the curfew imposed by President Ivan Duque. | RELATED: | "Duque believed the curfew would prevent students, Indigenous people, farmers, and Afro-descendants from continue protesting against the systematic violations of their rights," Maiz said. | Colombians also rejected the statements made by former Presid…
(2021-05-05). Colombian Campesino Leader: This is an Authoritarian Regime. libya360.wordpress.com Kawsachun News Social movements participate in Colombia's national strike demonstrations. April 28, 2021. Photo: Surcando Comunicaciones We interviewed Ernesto Alexander Roa, President of the Coordinador Nacional Agrario de Colombia (National Agrarian Coordinator of Colombia — CNA), an indigenous and Afro-campesino organization that works for the defense and recovery of Colombia's rural areas, dignified life and popular sovereignty. Ernesto spoke to…
(2021-05-05). US Affirms That With Its Allies, It Will Pressure Venezuela to 'Return to Democracy'. orinocotribune.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared that the United States and its allies plan to continue the pressure campaign against the Venezuelan government so as to bring democracy to the country. | Blinken affirmed at the 51st annual Washington Conference on the Americas that: "We will continue to work with our partners across the region both to alleviate the suffering of the Venezuelan people and to exert pressure on the regime so the country can peacefully return to democracy." | Blinken also alleged that the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had mismanaged the h…
(2021-05-05). US Actor Steven Seagal Presents Maduro With Samurai Sword During Visit to Venezuela. sputniknews.com American actor, producer and musician Steven Seagal, who received Russian citizenship in 2016 and was subsequently appointed as a Russian special envoy for humanitarian liaison with the US, is also a widely-renowned aikido ace.
(2021-05-05). Video: Steven Seagal Presents Maduro With Samurai Sword During Visit to Venezuela. sputniknews.com American actor, producer and musician Steven Seagal, who received Russian citizenship in 2016 and was subsequently appointed as a Russian special envoy for humanitarian liaison with the US, is also a widely-renowned aikido ace.
(2021-05-05). Conviasa Starts Air Route Between Moscow and Caracas. telesurenglish.net The Venezuelan state-owned airline Conviasa inaugurated the Caracas-Moscu air route, which will have one direct flight with a fortnightly frequency. | RELATED: | On Monday, the inaugural flight came from Russia and arrived at the Simon Bolivar International Airport, in Maiquetia, La Guaira State. Onboard the Airbus A340 there were 90 tour operators, journalists, influencers, and investors. | "The new air route will contribute to f…
(2021-05-05). Colombia: Looking South. orinocotribune.com By Angel Guerra Cabrera — May 2, 2021 | On April 28 there was a national strike and march in rejection of President Iván Duque's tax reform and a health reform bill that seeks to deepen the failed model of privatization established in the health system. | The tax reform would impose a 19% VAT on eggs, meat, fish, coffee, and salt, and proposes to tax salaries over 2.4 million pesos per month and pensions over 7 million pesos, to freeze for five years the salaries of public employees, and even a scandalous tax on burials. The protesters had to overcome two factors. First, the third wave of the pandemic. The M…
(2021-05-05). Colombians Rekindle Their National Strike Amid State Terrorism. telesurenglish.net Colombians continue to take to the streets to demand the resignation of President Ivan Duque despite extreme expressions of police brutality. | RELATED: | The marches began mid-morning in Bogota, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga, and Cali with chants, music, and white flags. The country's main avenues also were filled with car caravans carrying Colombian flags. | In the capital city, protesters took to the streets with signs r…
(2021-05-05). Duque Offers Reward for Info on "Vandals", State Terror Rises. telesurenglish.net Colombia's President Ivan Duque offered a $2,000 reward on Wednesday in exchange for information on vandalism acts during the ongoing protests. However, senators submitted a censorship motion against his Defense Minister after widespread reports of police brutality and 24 confirmed deaths. | RELATED: | As Colombia sees its second national strike on Wednesday, the latest events highlight the stark contrast between…
(2021-05-05). Social Movements Worldwide Protest In Support Of Colombians. telesurenglish.net Progressive social organizations on Wednesday called for protests worldwide to reject the police brutality upsurge against Colombians who have been demonstrating against President Ivan Duque for eight days in a row. | RELATED: | The Global Network Against Police Violence called on social organizations from Chile, Ecuador, Spain, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico to take to the…
(2021-05-05). Jamaica Imposes Travel Ban on Trinidad and Tobago. telesurenglish.net To prevent the entry of the South African variant of the coronavirus, Jamaica will prohibit the entry of all visitors from Trinidad and Tobago. | RELATED: | The Jamaican government has also an extended list of countries that are restricted for travel. Among them are Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, and Peru where the Brazilian variant has been found. | On Monday, Trinidad's Prime Minister Keith Rowley announced the new ban on his count…
(2021-05-05). Colombia Wracked by Massive Anti-Government Protests. zcomm.org Protests broke out across Colombia this week, including a general strike that brought thousands of workers into the streets of cities all across the country…
(2021-05-05). COHA Denounces Brutal Repression By Security Forces In Colombia — OpEd. eurasiareview.com The Council on Hemispheric Affairs (COHA) denounces the systematic violations of human rights perpetrated by the security forces of the government of Colombia. The government of President Iván Duque has deployed special units of the police and military to brutally repress broad based demonstrations that began on April 28, 2021 against a neoliberal tax reform package that proposed to rescue Colombia's IMF credit rating on the backs of the working class. Now that Duque has withdrawn the proposed reform package, protests continue over numerous other topics, including the violations of the peace accords, and urgen…
(2021-05-05). Top US Senate Democrat Concerned Deadly Protests in Colombia Risk Destabilizing Region. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, Bob Menendez, in a statement expressed concern over the risk the recent deadly clashes between police and protesters in the Colombian city of Cali poses to regional stability.
(2021-05-05). Colombia: Appeal to guarantee safety of protesters. greenleft.org.au The following appeal has been issued by United for Colombia, Australia, in response to the repression of nationwide protests that began in opposition to the government's tax reform.
(2021-05-05). UN Alarmed Over Police Violence in Colombia Protests. latinorebels.com BOGOTàÅ, Colombia (AP) — The United Nations human rights office said it was "deeply alarmed" over violence against protesters in the Colombian city of Cali, where "police opened fire on demonstrators" and allegedly killed and injured several people Monday night.
(2021-05-05). Understand the uprising in Colombia's streets. peoplesdispatch.org The mass mobilizations of the Colombian people over the last week have been met with unprecedented levels of repression. As of today, human rights organizations have confirmed that at least 31 people have been killed in the violent acts by security forces and hundreds have been detained. As the national strike completes one week, we look at why people are on the streets, how they have responded to this horrific violence and what are their key demands.
(2021-05-05). Mass protests in Colombia continue into second week amid deadly repression. wsws.org Colombia's police and military have turned in a systematic and coordinated fashion to the use of live ammunition against demonstrators, killing at least 27 of them.