John Catalinotto (2021-05-26). Colombia: Broad general strike challenges 'narc-oligarchy'. workers.org May 23 — The general strike against anti-poor "reforms" in Colombia is finishing its fourth week. So far, every test of strength has shown popular support has grown in defiance of police and fascist murders and beatings of protesters and the threat of COVID-19, which has already killed 85,000 people. . . . |

Anonymous007 (2021-05-26). Colombian Rioters Burn Palace Of Justice In Tulua, As Protests Rage For Nearly A Month. southfront.org Click to see full-size image | On May 25th, the Palace of Justice in the Colombian city of Tuluá was set on fire after a wave of violent riots. | Rechazo y condeno estos actos de terrorismo que buscan sembrar caos y miedo. Ataques como los de esta noche en Tuluá dejan de ser vandálicos y se convierten en actos terroristas. La protesta pacífica es legítima, la violencia es delito. — Wilson Rui…

Staff (2021-05-26). Nicaraguan Opposition Candidate Chamorro Received USAID Money. orinocotribune.com Cristiana Chamorro, former director of Nicaragua's Violeta Barrios de Chamorro Foundation for Reconciliation and Democracy, was accused of money laundering in an Her NGO is being investigated for having received more than $6 million from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) since 2015. More than half of that money ($3.7 million) went to influence thi…

ARG Medios (2021-05-26). Juan Grabois, member of International Solidarity Mission to Colombia, deported on arrival. peoplesdispatch.org Colombia migration authorities denied entrance to Juan Grabois who is part of an Argentinian human rights delegation. The International Mission of Solidarity and Human Rights Observation arrived on May 25 to Colombia and is made up of different human rights and social organizations from Argentina and other countries in the region. | Grabois explained on Twitter that "After a series of physical attacks witnessed by several people and by security cameras, the Colombian government expelled me from its territory because it considers me a risk to State Security." | He also added that "they took my documents and luggag…

Staff (2021-05-26). Anti-Chavista Luis Vicente León: 68% of Venezuelans Reject US Sanctions (Diesel). orinocotribune.com Luis Vicente León, president of the polling firm Datanálisis and an outspoken anti-Chavista, highlighted this Tuesday, May 25, that 66.4% of Venezuelans agree with lifting the "sanctions" that prevent state oil company PDVSA from exchanging crude for diesel, according to a recent opinion poll released through his Twitter account @luisvicenteleon. | In a series of messages, the economist and university professor pointed out that "66.4% of Venezuelans consider that the United States should lift the ban on importing diesel to Venezuela from other countries, as it does not fulfill its objective of putting pressure on…

Editor2 (2021-05-26). The Political Situation & the National Strike in Colombia. orinocotribune.com By Pedro Santana Rodríguez — May 20, 2021 | The protests in Colombia have continued for 23 days in the midst of brutal repression that has resulted in more than 50 demonstrators killed, according to the non-governmental organization INDEPAZ (Institute of Studies for Development and Peace), as of May 18, 2021. There were 46 cases of killings by police, in addition to six other cases that were in the process of verification, the latter in the city of Cali. As of May 12th, according to a joint report by INDEPAZ and Temblores, there had also been 278 wounded, 32 eye injuries, 356 physical aggressions, 18 acts of…

Carlos Arellán (2021-05-25). Colombia Tries to Make a Media Splash by Unilaterally Opening its Border with Venezuela. orinocotribune.com Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro warned that Colombia wants to create a "show" at the border to divert attention from the internal drama that the neighboring country is experiencing, amid more that three weeks of strikes and demonstrations met by brutal and bloody repression. | He stressed that the Duque government seeks to open the border unilaterally, which would signify bad intentions on the part of Bogotá. | The Colombian authorities announced that they estimate the border opening to occur on June 1, to which the Venezuelan president replied this Sunday that: "Nothing unilateral is going to work. If the st…

Carlos Arellán (2021-05-25). World Leader of the Jesuits or "Demon in a Cassock"? What did Arturo Sosa Say Now? orinocotribune.com The world head of the Jesuits is Venezuelan, and in addition to handling the affairs of God, he often stirs up controversy in earthly affairs. His name is Arturo Sosa, and in spite of his appearance as a wise man calmed by spiritual reflections, he has a taste for political intrigue. | Recently Sosa was quoted as saying that "Venezuela is a dictatorship and President Maduro is the head of that regime." | This Sunday, the president answered to the priest's statements but without mentioning him by name, commenting that he would soon publish a letter to answer those "demons in a cassock." | "I am going to publish a…

José Manzaneda (2021-05-25). El amor por los bombardeos de la "disidencia" cubana. globalizacion.ca La llamada "disidencia" cubana no tiene dudas sobre sus paradigmas de democracia y libertad: son Israel y Colombia. | Los bombardeos israelíes sobre Gaza han causado, en menos de una semana, cerca de 200 muertes entre la población palestina (1). Una…

Internationalist 360 ∞ (2021-05-25). Colombia: "The Regime is Willing to Massacre the People to Defend its Interests" libya360.wordpress.com Carlos Aznarez and Jimmy Moreno The national strike that began on April 28 continues, the people are still taking to the streets. Tthere are marches and protests, but also a lot of repression and the famous dialogue announced by the government is nowhere to be seen. Beyond the fireworks announcements by Iván Duque pretending that…

A Guest Author (2021-05-25). Report from Colombia — National strike marches grow ever bigger. workers.org By Fernando Alexis Jiménez Writing from Colombia, the author describes the national pro-strike protests called for May 19 as historically enormous and successful. The article was published on his blog and by rebelion.org. Translation: John Catalinotto May 20 — The mobilizations that began in Colombia 22 days ago — and . . . |

_____ (2021-05-25). The Violence And Economic Destruction Caused By US Sanctions In Venezuela. popularresistance.org US economic sanctions against Venezuela are a violent and illegal form of coercion, seeking regime change through collective punishment of the civilian population. The motives are fairly clear from the public statements of US officials. The number of Venezuelans who have died as a result of these sanctions has been estimated in the tens of thousands, and this has certainly increased substantially over the past two and a half years that have elapsed since the last available mortality data…

_____ (2021-05-25). The Violence and Economic Destruction Caused by US Economic Sanctions in Venezuela. popularresistance.org US economic sanctions against Venezuela are a violent and illegal form of coercion, seeking regime change through collective punishment of the civilian population. The motives are fairly clear from the public statements of US officials. The number of Venezuelans who have died as a result of these sanctions has been estimated in the tens of thousands, and this has certainly increased substantially over the past two and a half years that have elapsed since the last available mortality data…

teleSUR (2021-05-25). Colombia: Uribe Fans Call For March To Discredit Mass Protests. telesurenglish.net Business groups and political organizations linked to ex-President Alvaro Uribe on Tuesday called for a "March of Silence" in an attempt to downplay the Colombian workers' national strike. | RELATED: | Uribe's supporters took over the Bulevar del Rio in Cali to demand an end to the one-month-long protests against President Ivan Duque. | According to the Colombian elites, thousands of citizens who are in the stree…

teleSUR (2021-05-25). Colombia To Vote No-Confidence Motion Against Defense Minister. telesurenglish.net Colombia's Congress on Tuesday will vote on a "no-confidence motion" against Defense Minister Diego Molano, who is accused of allowing and promoting police brutality in the protests against President Ivan Duque. | RELATED: | On Monday, 18 lawmakers promoted the motion during a parliamentary session held due to the ongoing human rights violations committed by security forces amid the demonstrations, in which at least 43 people have…

Justin Podur (2021-05-25). Is Colombia's Military Displacing Peasants to Protect the Environment or Sell Off Natural Resources? orinocotribune.com By Justin Podur — May 22, 2021 | Colombia witnessed a series of

teleSUR (2021-05-25). Colombia: 11 People Injured In New Day Of Police Brutality. telesurenglish.net Human rights defenders reported that several Colombian cities were affected by new episodes of police brutality on Monday night. | RELATED: | In Bogota, at least 11 people were injured with firearms. Mobile Anti-Riot Squadron (ESMAD) agents cracked down on a peaceful protest at the Portal de las Americas metro station, which has been renamed the "Resistance Portal." | Local outlets reported that one protester was…

teleSUR (2021-05-25). Colombian Government and Strike Committee Reach Pre-Agreements. telesurenglish.net After a 12-hours meeting on Monday, the National Strike Committee and representatives of President Ivan Duque presented to the country a document with the "pre-agreement" reached during their first stage of talks. | RELATED: | "The parties drafted texts that must be endorsed by both the National Government and the Assembly of the Strike Committee," they said and explained they did not yet reach consensus on some points. | "

teleSUR (2021-05-25). Rejection to Duque Rises To Unprecedented Highs in Colombia. telesurenglish.net Ivan Duque has become the most unpopular president in Colombia's history, the latest survey by Invamer pollster revealed on Tuesday. | RELATED: | According to the poll, Duque has reached a 76 percent disapproval rate, amid widespread turmoil for almost a month, marked by police brutality, disappearances of demonstrators, and violations of human rights. | Niegan ingreso a Colombia de integrante de Misión humanitaria…

Jorge Elbaum (2021-05-25). Colombia, Chile y Perú encienden las alarmas de las elites neoliberales de América Latina. globalizacion.ca Dos décadas atrás, las compulsas electorales en el subcontinente enfrentaban a partidos o coaliciones de derecha neoliberal contra vetustas organizaciones adscriptas a la socialdemocracia de cuño europeo, pasteurizadas y dóciles frente a las políticas impulsadas por el Consenso de Washington…

Internationalist 360 ∞ (2021-05-25). Alex Saab v. The Empire: How the US Is Using Lawfare to Punish a Venezuelan Diplomat. libya360.wordpress.com Roger D. Harris PRAIA, CABO VERDE — The case of Alex Saab raises dangerous precedents in terms of extraterritorial judicial abuse, violation of diplomatic status, and even the use of torture to extract false confessions. This is according to Montréal-based international human rights lawyer John Philpot. He spoke on May 19 at a webinar sponsored…

Roger Harris (2021-05-25). US Trying to Extradite Venezuelan Diplomat for the 'Crime' of Securing Food for the Hungry: The Case of Alex Saab v. The Empire. counterpunch.org The case of Alex Saab raises dangerous precedents in terms of extraterritorial judicial abuse, violation of diplomatic status, and even the use of torture to extract false confessions. This is according to Montréal-based international human rights lawyer John Philpot. He spoke on May 19 at a webinar sponsored by the Alliance for Global Justice and

Tanya Wadhwa (2021-05-25). Colombian Congress debates motions of censure against defense minister Diego Molano. peoplesdispatch.org Two motions of censure have been presented against defense minister Diego Molano by the opposition for the unprecedented level of violence and human rights violations committed by national security forces in the past four weeks of the national strike…

Latino USA (2021-05-25). How I Made It: Kali Uchis (A Latino USA Podcast). latinorebels.com Kali Uchis talks about growing up between Colombia and Virginia, the inspirations behind her biggest hits, and why she decided to ignore those who told her not to sing in Spanish.