International
Colombian government and FARC dissidents begin new dialogue seeking to extend the ceasefire
The Government of Colombia and three blocs of the divided Central General Staff (EMC), the largest dissidence of the former FARC, began this Friday in Bogotá the VI cycle of peace talks with several items on the agenda, including the possibility of extending the ceasefire of the bilateral fire that ends on October 15.
Just one year after the official installation of the peace negotiations, and after several crises after the split of the well-known Central General Staff (EMC), the main dissident of the FARC, the delegations sat down with the premise of moving forward and that “this cycle can be a real leap forward,” in the words of the Chief Negotiator of the Government, Camilo González Posso.
“A year and three days ago we began this titanic task (…) where the starting point was given to this process, that’s where we managed to reach an agreement. Since then we have encountered thousands of obstacles, with vicissitudes,” accepted the delegate of dissent, Andrey Avendaño, who added that they are “very expectant of what may arise in this cycle.”
The sixth cycle of peace talks
In this sixth cycle of talks, which will last until October 19 and where it seeks to extend a bilateral cessation with the so-called Central General Staff (EMC), to which the blocks of Jorge Suárez Briceño, Magdalena Medio and the Raúl Reyes Front belong, the “environmental issue” will also be on the table, which both delegations consider “of vital importance”.
González Posso added that his expectations in this meeting are “to go out with very specific decisions, to develop an exact work schedule for the next period.”
The last cycle in this process was held in July, also in Bogotá, and it was in April when the EMC split, leaving out of the negotiations the dissidents commanded by ‘Iván Mordisco’, who operate mainly in the southwest of the country and have starred in an escalation of violence since then.
“We have been six months since the reconfiguration of the table, in April we opened a new period and in these six months we have advanced a lot to approve the participation agreement, we have advanced in prefiguring immediate steps in terms of territorial transformations,” said González Posso, optimistic in the process.
“Acceleration of results”
The installation of this cycle of dialogues in Bogotá was accompanied by the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Susana Muhamad, who told the delegations that “it is a process that needs to enter an acceleration of results” because the Government enters the second half of its mandate and this means that the time of “consolidation of work” must come.
“The National Government is ready,” the minister added, referring to territorial transformations and the defense of nature, “but we cannot do that without peace,” she warned.
For his part, the commissioned peace counselor, Otty Patiño, considered that “we need persistence, confidence that it is possible and knowing that building peace is not a path full of roses, but of difficulties,” while he was optimistic that an agreement will be reached to extend the ceasefire.
At the moment, it is still being discussed whether the extension of the cessation of hostilities will be for three or six months, although both parties seem to be leaning towards the second option.
In this line, Patiño detailed that the president, Gustavo Petro, has ordered to change the logic of the ceasefire: “The fundamental plan is, first, the policy of territorial transformation, and as an element that can support it, the ceasefire.”
International
Iranian leader warns foreign powers have “no place” in Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said Thursday that the Persian Gulf is entering a new era marked by a “bright” future without the presence of the United States in the region.
His remarks came during the commemoration of Persian Gulf Day, amid ongoing regional tensions following recent military confrontations involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
“Today, two months after the largest military buildup and aggression by the bullies of the world in the region and the humiliating defeat of the United States, a new chapter is being written for the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz,” Khamenei stated.
The Iranian leader insisted that the future of the region would be free from American influence and focused instead on the internal development and prosperity of Gulf nations.
“By the power and strength of God, the bright future of the Persian Gulf region will be a future without the United States and dedicated to the progress, welfare, and prosperity of its nations,” he said.
Khamenei also questioned the effectiveness of U.S. military bases in the region, arguing that they do not provide security even for Washington’s allies.
“Foreigners who come from thousands of miles away and commit evil and malicious acts have no place there except at the bottom of its waters,” he declared.
In addition, the Iranian leader defended new measures being prepared by Tehran to regulate maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, including fees for vessels passing through the strategic waterway. According to Khamenei, the policies would generate economic benefits and greater stability for the region.
Regional tensions remain high following the conflict that erupted on February 28 between the United States and Israel against Iran, leading to strategic blockades in the Strait of Hormuz, a route through which nearly 20% of the world’s oil supply previously passed. The situation has disrupted maritime trade and contributed to rising global oil prices.
Central America
U.S. and Regional Allies Back Panama Amid Dispute With China
The United States, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago issued a joint statement in support of Panama’s sovereignty, arguing that China’s recent actions represent an attempt to politicize maritime trade and undermine the sovereignty of nations in the hemisphere.
“We are closely monitoring China’s selective economic pressure and recent actions affecting vessels flying the Panamanian flag,” the statement released Tuesday said. “Panama is a pillar of our maritime trading system and, as such, must remain free from undue external pressure.”
The statement comes amid growing tensions surrounding the Panama Canal and the operation of key ports linked to global trade.
At the end of January, Panama’s Supreme Court invalidated the legal framework supporting the 1997 concession that granted Panama Ports Company, a subsidiary of CK Hutchison, the right to operate the Balboa and Cristóbal terminals located on the Pacific and Atlantic entrances of the Panama Canal.
The ruling followed mounting pressure from the United States to curb Chinese influence around the strategic waterway, through which roughly 5% of global maritime trade passes.
CK Hutchison, which managed the ports for nearly three decades, rejected the court’s decision and accused Panamanian authorities of illegally confiscating its assets. The company has launched international arbitration proceedings against Panama, seeking more than $2 billion in damages.
Following the court ruling, reports emerged of increased detentions and inspections of Panamanian-flagged vessels in China, actions widely viewed as retaliatory measures.
On Wednesday, China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the joint statement as “completely unfounded and misleading,” accusing the United States of politicizing port operations and warning that Beijing would take steps to protect its interests in Panama.
International
King Charles III Says U.S.-UK Alliance Is “Irreplaceable and Unbreakable”
King Charles III of the United Kingdom reaffirmed the strength of the British-American relationship on Tuesday during a speech before the United States Congress, describing the alliance between the two nations as “irreplaceable and unbreakable.”
The address, delivered at the Capitol, marked the first speech by a British monarch before Congress since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and comes at a time of political tensions between Donald Trump’s administration and the Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“As President Trump himself observed during his state visit to Britain last autumn, the bond of kinship and identity between the United States and the United Kingdom is invaluable and eternal. It is irreplaceable and unbreakable,” the king said.
While reflecting on the upcoming 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, which will be commemorated this year, Charles III stated that the partnership between the two countries “was born out of disagreement, but is no less strong because of it.”
The monarch emphasized the democratic values shared by both nations and noted that major global changes have occurred whenever the two allies found common ground.
“When we have found that way to agree, great changes have taken place not only for the benefit of our peoples, but for all peoples,” he said.
King Charles also quoted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who recently described the relationship as “an indispensable alliance.”
Concluding his speech, the monarch described the shared history of the United States and the United Kingdom as “a story of reconciliation, renewal, and an extraordinary partnership.”
He added that Washington and London have forged “one of the most consequential alliances in human history.”
“I pray with all my heart that our alliance continues to defend our shared values, together with our partners in Europe, the Commonwealth, and around the world, and that we ignore calls urging us to become increasingly isolationist,” Charles III stated.
The king ended by urging both nations to “recommit to one another in selfless service to our peoples and to all peoples of the world.”
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