International
The drama of displacement due to the conflict in the Catatumbo returns to the streets of Tibú
The streets of Tibú, an oil town in the Colombian department of Norte de Santander, have once again been the scene of the exodus of thousands of people who seek refuge from the violence between the guerrillas of the National Liberation Army (ELN) and one of the FARC dissidents.
This town experienced similar scenes between 1997 and 2004 when the massacres of guerrillas and paramilitaries forced the displacement of more than 34,000 people who had to flee to get to safety after being accused of collaborating with the other side.
This time, of the 38,000 displaced people left by the guerrilla war in Catatumbo, about 5,300 are in Tibú and the rest, mostly in Cúcuta, capital of Norte de Santander (15,086) and in Ocaña (11,503), the second city of the department, bordering Venezuela.
In the urban center of Tibú there are five temporary shelters that welcome adults and children and in which the situation is about to become critical.
One of them is the Minor Seminary, converted into an improvised home for those who arrive with their own dramas.
In the different spaces of this place there are temporary beds and people with stories of sleepless nights and the despair that accompanies those who flee aimlessly from the bullets.
“We were two days in silence inside the house. At night we did not turn on the light for fear that they would reach us,” a woman who prefers to omit her name and who fled with her husband and two children from the La 25 sector told EFE.
Another woman, named Luz Mary, from the farmhouse of Miramontes, said that she went out on motorcycles along with several members of her family.
“They told us that we should go out and we left our animals abandoned. It is strong and more for our children,” he told EFE, while in the background some minors were heard chanting “We want peace.”
Don Jaime, a farmer with deep roots in the farmhouse of La Serpentina, shares his story: “My family has lived here for generations. The earth is our home, but now we are forced to flee, but I will return.”
As the days go by, the exodus continues in the deep Catatumbo. Some stay in Tibú, others continue their way to Cúcuta, where there are already more than 15,000 displaced people, or to Ocaña, which has received more than 11,500 people.
The catatumbero Jean Carlos lived closely the beginning of the conflict and fled with 11 relatives on a motorcycle in search of shelter.
“One panics,” he says, and assures that he plans to return to his land as soon as everything calms down because “we have fought hard to have it to leave it thrown away.”
Lieutenant Colonel Miyer Fernando Moreno Gutiérrez, commander of the Army’s Battalion of Military Engineers No. 30, said that they are evacuating civilians in risky conditions, the most recent of them with 40 people.
“With the constant aerial patrol, 120 people have been rescued, including social leaders, peace signatories and communal leaders, who were protected and placed in shelters,” said the officer, who indicated that they have had knowledge of isolated confrontations, but not with the same intensity of the first day.
The humanitarian response continues to arrive and the Government of the North of Santander has activated protocols to provide basic assistance to those affected: food, mats and hygiene kits are distributed among the shelters.
The streets of Tibú are patrolled by the Army and the Police, who try to bring tranquility and order, but fear persists and insecurity remains a shadow over the community.
International
Iran Rejects Negotiations With U.S. as Strait of Hormuz Remains Blocked Amid New Attack
Tensions remained high in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday after a vessel was hit by a projectile, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims that negotiations with Iran were moving forward and that the strategic maritime route could reopen as early as Tuesday.
Tehran denied that direct talks were taking place, but Trump insisted that discussions were underway and described the situation as a final opportunity for Iran to reach an agreement.
“This is the last chance they have to sign a good document,” Trump told reporters at the White House, adding that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz could happen “literally tomorrow” Tuesday.
The comments came after another escalation in rhetoric from Washington. Last week, Trump threatened Iran with military strikes before unexpectedly changing course on Sunday and announcing that negotiations with Tehran would resume.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqai rejected the U.S. president’s version of events, stating that Tehran was not holding negotiations with Washington.
“At this moment, we are not negotiating with the United States. We are negotiating with Oman to guarantee safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz,” Baqai said.
Earlier, the Iranian official said that Tehran was close to reaching an agreement with Oman, which lies across the Strait of Hormuz, to reopen the crucial waterway that plays a key role in global energy trade.
The maritime route has remained blocked by Iran since the outbreak of hostilities following U.S. and Israeli strikes against the Islamic Republic on February 28.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced Tuesday that they had launched an attack against an airport in Saudi Arabia. The Iran-backed group had previously disrupted the passage of Saudi vessels through the Red Sea, an alternative route used for crude exports by the world’s largest oil producer.
The continued instability in the region has raised concerns over global energy supplies, as the Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most important chokepoints for international oil shipments.
International
Lula Launches Re-Election Campaign Amid Rising Tensions With Trump
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is set to be officially nominated for re-election by his Workers’ Party (PT), marking the start of his campaign for a fourth presidential term.
The nomination takes place during the party’s national convention in São Paulo, Brazil’s economic hub, where around 3,000 supporters gathered to back the veteran leftist leader.
“Today I’m here because Lula’s policies changed my life and my family’s. Thanks to him, we finally own a home after eight generations without one,” said Cristiane Rosa Julho, a 51-year-old social worker attending the event dressed in the PT’s signature red.
Seeking the presidency for the seventh time in his political career, Lula is expected to face Senator Flávio Bolsonaro in next year’s election.
The 45-year-old senator is the son of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who has been jailed over his alleged role in an attempted coup following his defeat to Lula in the 2022 election.
The party convention opened with videos highlighting Lula’s social initiatives and speeches by four women praising his leadership, while supporters waved PT flags and held signs reading “We Want Lula as President” and “Brazil Is Not for Sale.”
The campaign begins amid growing tensions with the United States and President Donald Trump, a close ally of the Bolsonaro family who has openly backed several conservative candidates across Latin America.
Last week, Lula warned against foreign interference, declaring, “In Brazil, we do not accept anyone sticking their nose where it doesn’t belong.”
In July, the United States imposed two rounds of tariffs on Brazilian products, accusing the country of unfair trade practices. The measures followed earlier restrictions introduced in 2025, encouraged by Jair Bolsonaro’s son Eduardo Bolsonaro, in response to legal proceedings against the former president.
Lula has vowed to wage what he called a “war of truth against lies” in response to Washington’s pressure and accused Flávio Bolsonaro of undermining Brazil’s interests by allegedly helping the United States damage the country’s economy. The senator has denied the accusations.
The Brazilian president also claims Washington is attempting to influence the country’s political landscape in an effort to prevent his re-election.
International
Truck bomb attack near police station in Colombia leaves 14 injured ahead of presidential inauguration
A truck loaded with explosives exploded on Saturday near a police station in the Colombian city of Cúcuta, close to the Venezuelan border, leaving 14 people injured in an attack that occurred six days before president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella’s inauguration.
The blast took place in the early hours of the morning and was allegedly carried out by members of the National Liberation Army (ELN), who detonated a vehicle packed with explosives. According to the latest report from the Colombian Army, the attack injured 11 police officers and three civilians.
The explosion involved around 15 explosive devices, and two of the wounded officers are in critical condition and “fighting for their lives,” said William Villamizar, governor of Norte de Santander, the region where the attack occurred.
The incident comes amid Colombia’s worst wave of violence in the past decade, with armed groups expanding their presence in several areas of the country.
“I strongly condemn the cowardly terrorist attack carried out in Cúcuta against our National Police. Terrorism will not intimidate Colombia or break the determination of Colombians to live in peace and security,” De la Espriella said in a post on X.
The conservative lawyer, who has been described as a far-right figure, will take office on August 7, replacing Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s first left-wing president. The inauguration ceremony will be held in Cali, the country’s third-largest city and a frequent target of attacks by armed groups.
The United Nations condemned what it described as an “indiscriminate attack” that caused not only injuries but also “fear and distress among the population.”
De la Espriella has repeatedly warned about an alleged plot against his life. Meanwhile, President Gustavo Petro, who is currently visiting Cuba, has not commented on the attack. During his visit, Petro met with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel to discuss what Havana describes as the United States’ “policy of suffocation” toward the island.
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