Colombia’s FARC Holding French Journalist Hostage

May 2, 2012 By Staff

Top Story — The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) claimed Tuesday that they are holding the missing French journalist Romeo Langlois as a “prisoner of war” after he was captured in a skirmish with Colombian troops. Langlois, who was accompanying members of the Colombian military as they reportedly destroyed cocaine laboratories in Caquetá province, went missing during a clash between FARC guerrillas and Colombian soldiers in which four members of the Colombian security forces were killed. Colombian Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzón said Sunday that Langlois had been shot in the arm, but the FARC announced Tuesday that he had received medical attention and was “out of danger”. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos demanded that the guerrilla group release Langlois as soon as possible, and France 24 is working with authorities in France and Colombia to locate the reporter’s whereabouts.

Headlines from the Western Hemisphere

North America

A 5.5-magnitude earthquake hit Mexico on Tuesday, but there were no reports of injuries.
Mexican broadcaster TV Azteca’s decision to televise a match between Tigres and Morelia when a presidential debate is on the air on other channels has drawn criticism from politicians.
New Hampshire held a senate hearing on a measure supporting Arizona’s immigration law, but only opponents to the measure testified and the bill’s sponsor was absent.

Caribbean

A hint by Cuban Parliament Chief Ricardo Alarcon that Cubans can soon expect a “radical and profound” change has many speculating whether the Cuban government will allow its citizens to travel outside the country freely.
A racist joke comparing Puerto Rican politician Rafael Cox Alomar to a monkey named “Yuyo” has sparked an outcry on Twitter.
Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes has been sued in a Dominican court for breach of contract after he and his family stayed in the Dominican Republic.

Central America

Former police official Pedro Garcia Arredondo was charged in a Guatemalan court for setting a fire that killed 37 indigenous protesters inside the Spanish Embassy in 1980.
Murders in El Salvador dropped 58 percent from April 2011 to April 2012, according to police statistics.
Thousands of Nicaraguans mourned the death of Sandinista founder Tomas Borge Martinez, who died Monday at age 81.
The president of Costa Rican company Provident Capital Indemnity Ltd. was convicted of a $485 million fraud scheme by a federal jury in Virginia.

Andes

Bolivian President Evo Morales announced Tuesday that Bolivia would nationalize the electricity sector by putting Spanish-owned Red Electrica Corporacion SA under state control.
Gunfire broke out at Venezuela’s La Planta prison after inmates reportedly attempted to escape on Friday and the National Guard moved in to take control of the prison.

Southern Cone

Brazil’s federal police and the environmental agency Ibama have increased raids on wild animal traffickers in recent years, recovering more than 250,000 illegally captured animals a year.
The value of the Argentine peso has been impacted as investors respond to Argentina’s nationalization of the oil and gas company YPF.
Uruguay on Tuesday became the first country to ratify the UN’s Domestic Workers Convention, but the treaty will require one more ratification to come into legal force.

Image: Patrimonio Natural @ Flickr.

Subscribe to Today in Latin America by Email