🗞️ Guerrilla group the Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN) has kidnapped 18 people in Arauca, near the border with Venezuela. There are five children among the kidnapped.
The ELN and FARC dissident groups are currently fighting for territory in the area, causing an ongoing humanitarian and security crisis with hundreds of families now displaced.
The cessation of kidnapping for ransom – a long-time practice of the ELN – was a key agreement with the government, now broken on the grounds that the government failed to create a fund to replace the money the group formerly extorted via abductions.
Peace negotiations between the ELN and the national government are, therefore, yet again on the rocks.
This week, the government accused the ELN of committing numerous acts of war, as well as “lies” and an “arrogant” attitude, demanding that the group clarify their intentions regarding peace in order to unfreeze the talks. The ELN, meanwhile, claims the government has failed to comply with agreements.
🗞️ The corruption scandal in the Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) continues, as former officials Olmedo López and Sneyder Pinilla pleaded not guilty to charges of embezzlement, conspiracy to commit a crime, and fraud. They are seeking a deal with the Prosecutor.
The Prosecutor’s Office has also opened investigations into the Minister of Finance, the former Minister of the Interior, and the current director of the Intelligence. Numerous members of Congress will also be investigated: former congressional presidents Andrés Calle and Iván Name stand accused of receiving suitcases carrying billions of pesos in cash.
The question of whether money and government contracts changed hands in order to bribe congressmen into voting for government reform bills remains unresolved.
🗞️ In regional news, uncertainty prevails in Venezuela in the aftermath of the presidential elections held this Sunday 28th July: both incumbent Nicolás Maduro and opposition candidate Edmundo González have claimed victory.
The National Electoral Commission announced that Maduro had won a third term with just over 51% - around 5 million votes - despite numerous exit polls which suggested opposition majorities, some showing González with over 65% of the vote.
The result was announced by head of the Commission Elvis Amoroso - a close ally of Maduro – with 80% of votes counted, early Monday morning.
Listen to this episode with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Emily Hart to listen to this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.
