International
The head of the Directorate of Intelligence of Colombia resissts linked to a corruption case
The head of the National Intelligence Directorate (DNI) of Colombia, Carlos Ramón González, resigned this Friday from his position, after he was linked to the corruption scandal in the state National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), which splashes several members of the Government and Congress.
The resignation of González, one of the people closest to the Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, with whom he played in the M-19 guerrilla in his youth, was confirmed by the same president in a message on his X account from Paris, where he attends the inauguration of the Olympic Games today.
“I accept the resignation of Carlos Ramón, director of the Directorate of National Intelligence. His position as head of civil intelligence is incompatible with any judicial investigation and with the same justice apparatus in the country,” Petro said.
González, who was also Petro’s right-hand man as director of the Administrative Department of the Presidency of the Republic (Dapre), was pointed out on Thursday by the Prosecutor’s Office as the person who last year ordered the payment of bribes to two important congressmen in exchange for legislative support to the Government.
As revealed on May 3 by the former deputy director for Disaster Management of the UNGRD, Sneyder Pinilla, money from that entity was used in 2023 to pay millionaires of bribies to the then president of the Senate, Iván Name, and that of the House of Representatives, Andrés Calle.
That money was allegedly diverted from the one allocated for the purchase of 40 tanker trucks to supply water to the Caribbean department of La Guajira, a project in which resources were misappropriated because the vehicles acquired did not meet the technical conditions, among other failures.
The name of González, a very influential figure within the Government who had already been mentioned in the complaints, was officially cited yesterday by the Prosecutor’s Office at the accusation hearing against Pinilla and against the former director of the UNGRD Olmedo López, although the accusing entity has not yet filed charges.
At that hearing, the delegated prosecutor before the Supreme Court of Justice, Andrea Muñoz, said that the former Presidential Counselor for the Regions Sandra Ortiz, also involved in the corruption plot, received orders from González, as her direct boss when she was the director of Dapre, to allegedly deliver the co-ras to Congressmen Name and Calle.
“For the tranquility of prosecutors and judges, for their independence and good judgment and for the same defense work of Carlos Ramón’s lawyers, the best thing is the separation from his position,” Petro added in his message in X.
The corruption scandal in the UNGRD, the body that is responsible for attending to and preventing emergencies caused by natural disasters in the country, was uncovered by the press last February and since then has been growing to reach senior government officials.
Another of those indicated in this process is the Minister of Finance, Ricardo Bonilla, who according to the Prosecutor’s Office was decisive, in coordination with Olmedo López, for the award of three contracts for 92 billion pesos (about 23 million dollars) to benefit six congressmen in exchange for supporting the extension of the Government’s debt quota.
In this case, Petro gave Bonilla a vote of confidence this Friday, pointing out that his actions have not been different from those of other finance ministers.
“I believe in the innocence of the Minister of Finance, because I know what has happened to all the ministers of Finance to maintain the macroeconomic stability of the country,” the president said.
International
Exclusive Tucson Neighborhood Shaken by Disappearance of Savannah Guthrie’s Mother
The disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of well-known U.S. journalist Savannah Guthrie, has shaken the exclusive Catalina Foothills neighborhood in northern Tucson, Arizona. For the past eleven days, the area has become the focus of an intensive investigation and constant media attention.
The 84-year-old woman was last seen on January 31, when she returned home after a family dinner. Since then, authorities have released few details about the suspected abduction.
“It is worrying that an elderly person could be the victim of a crime like this in her own home; we are a community of retirees,” Mario Ruiz, a resident who lives near the property, told EFE.
He explained that neighbors in the area tend to respect each other’s privacy, and many homes do not even have fences, surrounded only by the desert landscape about 110 kilometers from the Mexican border.
Support for the family is visible in an improvised altar set up outside Guthrie’s house. Flowers, candles and a message written on a stone — “Please pray, bring her home” — reflect the concern felt by the community.
During a visit to Catalina Foothills on Wednesday, a strong presence of FBI agents could be seen patrolling nearby roads and neighborhoods in search of any clue that might help locate Guthrie.
Officers have been checking bushes, trash containers and surrounding areas near the residence, which is located in one of Tucson’s most exclusive districts, close to shopping centers, private golf courses and resorts.
International
Over 50 Civil Groups Urge House to Impeach DHS Secretary Kristi Noem
More than 50 civil society organizations, including Latino collectives and migrant advocacy groups, on Tuesday urged the U.S. House of Representatives to open impeachment proceedings against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whom they accuse of leading a migration policy that is “violent, reckless, and contrary to the Constitution.”
The request was submitted through a letter sent to House Speaker Mike Johnson and other legislative leaders. In the document, the organizations argue that Noem has encouraged repressive practices that have left multiple victims and have “intentionally undermined the mission of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).”
Among the signatories are Voto Latino, Freedom for Immigrants (FFI), Hispanic Federation, UnidosUS, and the Latino Victory Project. The groups emphasized that at least 187 lawmakers already support the impeachment initiative introduced in January by Representative Robin Kelly for alleged “high crimes and misdemeanors.”
The accusations include the alleged obstruction of congressional access to migrant detention centers and the excessive use of force, with at least 14 people shot since July 2025. They also cite three documented deaths, including those of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
The organizations further criticized the detention of migrant children, pointing to the case of five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, arrested in Minnesota last month, which sparked nationwide controversy.
They also denounced that operations carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have resulted in due process violations, unlawful detentions of Indigenous citizens, and disregard for court orders. According to the signatories, Noem has “dismantled” civil rights protections within the DHS and has shown a lack of understanding of constitutional principles such as habeas corpus.
Central America
Guatemala to Phase Out Longstanding Medical Cooperation Agreement with Cuba
Guatemala’s government announced on Tuesday that it will end this year a cooperation agreement with Cuba that has brought doctors from the Caribbean nation to work in the Central American country.
Guatemala’s Health Ministry told EFE that the program, which has been in place for nearly three decades, will be phased out progressively throughout 2026.
According to the same source, there are currently 412 Cubans in Guatemala under the agreement, including 333 physicians.
Cuban medical brigades assigned to Guatemala have traditionally been deployed to various regions of the country to provide primary health care to local communities.
“The decision follows a technical assessment aimed at strengthening the sustainability of the national workforce and consolidating the public health system’s own capacities,” the Guatemalan ministry said.
Earlier this week, lawmaker Sonia Gutiérrez, from the left-wing Winaq party, warned that the move “could be an inhumane act that threatens the health and lives of the country’s most vulnerable populations,” given the historic importance of Cuban doctors in providing medical care.
For that reason, the legislator summoned Health Ministry authorities to Congress, as permitted by law, to provide further details about the decision.
Former human rights ombudsman Jordán Rodas Andrade also weighed in on social media, recalling that “for 27 years Cuban doctors have been the backbone of health care in Guatemala’s most neglected areas,” and stressing that “ending this agreement is an act of ingratitude that leaves the most vulnerable unprotected.”
President Bernardo Arévalo’s government told EFE that, in order to guarantee continued care, it will implement a gradual replacement plan that includes hiring national personnel.
Exclusive Tucson Neighborhood Shaken by Disappearance of Savannah Guthrie’s Mother
Over 50 Civil Groups Urge House to Impeach DHS Secretary Kristi Noem
Guatemala to Phase Out Longstanding Medical Cooperation Agreement with Cuba
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