International

Colombia says dissident guerrilla leader ‘presumed dead’

AFP

Colombia’s defense minister Diego Molano on Wednesday announced the “presumed death” of one of the main leaders of a dissident left-wing guerrilla group, killed earlier this month in Venezuela.

According to local media, Miguel Botache Santillana, known as “Kind Duarte,” died on May 4 in an attack on his jungle camp.

The 59-year-old had been part of the peace process that brought to an end a half-century of conflict between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the state.

But he was one of the first ex-FARC leaders to subsequently take up arms again after the 2016 peace deal was signed.

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President Ivan Duque described the development as “great news” in a statement to journalists, adding that “all symbols of evil must disappear.

Molano told a press conference in Bogota that “intelligence sources reveal the presumed death of ‘Kind Duarte’ in the Venezuelan state of Zulia in a clash between… drug trafficking groups and terrorists.”

“If this is confirmed, it is one more proof that the (Venezuelan President Nicolas) Maduro regime is protecting terrorist and drug trafficking groups on its soil.”

Under conservative Duque, Colombia has often accused neighboring Venezuela of harboring rebels on its territory.

Since taking up arms again, Botache is believed to have been in charge of a group of around 1,700 fighters.

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FARC dissidents operate without a central command — there are around 5,200 fighters divided up into about 30 groups throughout the country.

They are mostly financed through drug trafficking and illegal mining.

Colombia’s government had put up a reward of $1 million for Botache’s head.

International

Habeas Corpus at risk as Trump team eyes drastic border policy shift

The White House is reportedly considering suspending habeas corpus, the legal principle that protects individuals against arbitrary detention, as part of its efforts to escalate anti-immigration measures in the United States.

In remarks to reporters, Stephen Miller, a senior advisor to President Donald Trump, argued that the U.S. Constitution allows the suspension of habeas corpus “in times of invasion.”

“It’s an option we are actively considering, and it all depends on whether the courts do the right thing or not,” Miller stated.

The Trump administration has frequently invoked the notion of a “migrant invasion” to justify actions such as the militarization of the U.S.-Mexico border and the deportation of foreign nationals—primarily Venezuelans—to El Salvador’s CECOT megaprison.

International

Maduro to Xi: Venezuela is a loyal friend to China

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro assured his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, during a meeting held in Moscow on the sidelines of the 80th anniversary of the Red Army’s victory in World War II, that China has “loyal friends” in the Caribbean nation.

“You know that in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela you have loyal friends and people willing to continue working for a new world,” said the South American leader, according to footage aired Friday by Venezuelan state broadcaster VTV.

Maduro, accompanied by several of his ministers including Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López, highlighted the “great results” of a 2023 agreement between China and Venezuela called the “All-Weather and All-Round Strategic Partnership.”

“I believe we can multiply the great results we’re already seeing, and I’m sure that strong and clear guidelines will emerge from this meeting to keep moving forward together,” Maduro added.

International

Iberojet reaffirms commitment to Honduras as Central American Hub

Spanish airline Iberojet and Palmerola International Airport, located in central Honduras, signed a three-year renewal of their exclusive agreement to operate direct flights between the Honduran terminal and the cities of Madrid and Barcelona.

With this renewal, Iberojet—part of the Spanish tourism group Ávoris Corporación Empresarial—reaffirms its commitment to Honduras as its main gateway to Central America from Europe.

The agreement was signed by Iberojet’s Commercial Director, Mario Domínguez, and Erick Spears, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Palmerola.

The signing ceremony took place at the residence of the Spanish Ambassador to Honduras, Diego Nuño García, who served as an honorary witness.