Category: Andes

Peru Becomes World’s Top Coca Leaf Producer; Colombia Remains Largest Cocaine Manufacturer

Once synonymous with cocaine, Colombia has lost the title of world’s leading producer of coca leaf to its Andean neighbor Peru, according to a United Nations Office on Drugs and […] Read More >

Juan Manuel Santos Wins Second-Round Colombian Presidential Election in Lop-Sided Vote

Today in Latin America Top Story –Former Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos easily cruised to victory in a second round presidential election on Sunday, winning roughly 69 percent of the […] Read More >

WOLA Announces Second Death Threat From Colombian Paramilitaries For Working With Displaced Peoples

WASHINGTON – The Latin America News Dispatch reported on Monday about the status of internally displaced persons in Colombia. Marco Romero, of the Consultancy for Human Rights and Displacement, spoke at […] Read More >

Globovisión Owner Flees Venezuela After Chavéz’s Government Issues An Arrest Warrant

Today in Latin America Top Story — The majority-owner of Venezuelan news channel Globovisión, Guillermo Zuloaga, fled the country on Tuesday, in defiance of arrest warrants for usury and conspiracy […] Read More >

Colombian Military Rescues Three Hostages Held By The FARC

Today in Latin America Top Story — Colombian security forces liberated three hostages who have been held by leftist guerrillas for nearly 12 years, government officials announced on Sunday, according […] Read More >

Colombian Peasants Continue To Suffer Displacement Due To War

WASHINGTON – Displacement of peasants by armed groups continues to plague Colombia, with the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) reaching 4.9 million at the end of 2009, according to […] Read More >

Colombian Colonel Alfonso Plazas Vega Sentenced To 30 Years For Forced Disappearances

Today in Latin America Top Story — Colombian Colonel Alfonso Plazas Vega was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Wednesday, after being convicted of the forced disappearance of 11 […] Read More >

Colombia’s FARC Releases Video Of Five Hostages Asking Government To Negotiate With Rebels

Today in Latin America Top Story — Four police officers and one soldier, kidnapped by Colombia’s FARC guerrillas, called on the government to make a deal with the left-wing rebel group […] Read More >

OAS Meeting Begins in Peru Amid Tensions Over Status of Honduras

Today in Latin America Top Story — U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other dignitaries from throughout Latin America began a meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS) […] Read More >

Juan Manuel Santos Pulls Ahead in Colombian Presidential Election

  Today in Latin America Top Story — Contrary to expectations, Juan Manuel Santos gained a strong lead in the first round of Colombia’s presidential elections on Sunday, according to […] Read More >