International

In Colombia, 745 femicides have been recorded this year and 333 cases of human trafficking

So far this year in Colombia, 745 femicides have been recorded, 44 of girls and 11 of trans women, and until September more than 26,000 cases of intimate partner violence and 333 acts related to human trafficking were reported, according to the Ombudsman’s Office reported on Tuesday.

“In Colombia, the armed conflict continues to be a critical challenge in human rights, especially for women,” said the ombudsman, Iris Marín Ortiz.

The ombudsman highlighted on International Human Rights Day the impacts against women of human rights violations and conflict, ensuring that of the 325 early warnings issued since 2017 by this state agency, 205 identify “significant risks for women in contexts of armed conflict.”

“Women in conditions of socioeconomic vulnerability, social leaders, Afro-descendants, indigenous people and migrants face the most serious risks due to the dynamics of the conflict,” the Ombudsman’s Office said in a statement.

Children and adolescents victims of sexual violence

Minors are also constant victims of human rights violations, and in that sense, the Ombudsman’s Office recalled that between January and November 2024, 1,381 children and adolescents were victims of commercial sexual exploitation, with girls being the most affected (84%).

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And that there were, according to data from the National Institute of Health between January 1 and November 6, more than 1,000 suicide attempts of children and children under 19 years of age.

On the other hand, on this international day, the Ombudsman’s Office also wanted to recall that in 2023 23 events of forced displacement were recorded, affecting 58,937 people. “So far in 2024, 100 events have been recorded and 40,499 people have been affected,” the organization said, warning of a notable increase.

“For a good future, we must work tirelessly and together for an egalitarian, friendly and peaceful Colombia, which promotes real transformations in the territories,” Marín Ortiz said.

International

Armed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids

Ecuador’s Armed Forces carried out an operation on Monday — including airstrikes — against illegal mining in the town of Buenos Aires, in the country’s north, Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo reported.

The mountainous, gold-rich area has been a hotspot for illegal mining since 2017, located in the Andean province of Imbabura.

In 2019, former president Lenín Moreno deployed around 2,400 soldiers to the region in an attempt to curb the illegal activity. “The operation began with mortar fire, followed by gunfire and bombing runs by Supertucano aircraft,” Loffredo said in a video released by the Defense Ministry.

He added that the operation would continue on Tuesday with patrols across the area to locate possible members of “irregular armed groups that may have crossed from the Colombian border.”

The Armed Forces stated on X that the intervention focused on the “complete elimination of multiple illegal mining tunnels” in the areas known as Mina Nueva and Mina Vieja.

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The operation coincided with the deployment of a military and police convoy into Imbabura, which has been the epicenter of protests against President Daniel Noboa since September 22, following his decision to scrap the diesel subsidy.

International

Caracas shuts embassy in Oslo without explanation following Machado’s Nobel win

Venezuela has announced the closure of its embassy in Norway, just days after opposition leader María Corina Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Venezuelan diplomatic mission provided no explanation for its decision on Monday.

“It is regrettable,” a ministry spokesperson said. “Despite our differences on several issues, Norway wishes to keep the dialogue with Venezuela open and will continue to work in that direction.” The ministry also emphasized that the Nobel Committee operates entirely independently from the Norwegian government.

In its announcement, the Nobel Committee stated that Machado met the criteria established by Alfred Nobel, “embodying the hope for a different future, where the fundamental rights of Venezuelans are heard.”

International

Sheinbaum: Urgent to restore access to towns cut off by heavy rains

Thousands of military personnel and civilians in Mexico worked tirelessly on Tuesday to clear roads blocked by the torrential rains of recent days, which have left more than 300 communities cut off across central and eastern regions of the country. Authorities also launched mass fumigation efforts in several affected areas to prevent the spread of dengue fever.

The official death toll remains at 64, though dozens of people are still missing. President Claudia Sheinbaumacknowledged that the government does not yet know the full situation in many of the isolated villages, which range in population from 500 to 1,000 inhabitants.

“The reopening of roads is one of the greatest urgencies,” Sheinbaum said. “It’s essential to guarantee air bridges, food supplies, clean water, and a proper census of the isolated communities so we can determine the condition of every person living there.”

Private construction companies are also assisting the effort with heavy machinery and technical support to help reopen highways and reconnect rural areas.