International
Peasants camp in Bogotá in protest against guerrilla violence in the Catatumbo
At least 70 leaders of the Catatumbo demanded this Wednesday in Bogotá solutions from the Colombian government for the guerrilla violence that plagues that border region with Venezuela and that leaves in just over two weeks between 60 and 80 dead and more than 50,000 displaced.
This was stated by a leader, who like her companions camped in the central Plaza de Bolívar in Bogotá, to raise her voice against violence and demand real guarantees for their return to the populations from which they came pressured by violence.
“We are here because we were displaced by what is happening in the Catatumbo due to the clashes between the ELN and the FARC. These uncertainties that the peasantry who have had to leave their lands are experiencing have been debated,” the woman who preferred to keep her identity in reserve told EFE.
The clashes between the National Liberation Army (ELN) and the 33rd Front of the FARC dissidents in the Catatumbo since January 16 left between 60 and 80 dead according to the counts of the Ombudsman’s Office and the Government of Norte de Santander.
However, the authorities have only been able to collect 50 bodies due to the situation that the most remote rural areas continue to experience, where the authorities have not yet been able to access.
Among the fatalities are six peace signatories, while 12 former FARC fighters are missing.
The leader reiterated that it is up to President Petro and his ministers to give them the guarantees for “the effective enjoyment of the rights of the civilian population.”
He recalled that the violence increased in the Catatumbo since the murder of the gravedigger, his wife and a son of both, which occurred on January 16.
“They passed by warning that they were entering the houses, that they were going to murder and that scared us,” he said.
He emphasized that the situation of violence in the Catatumbo needs fundamental solutions because he wondered what will happen when the resources of the mayor’s offices are exhausted.
“We have no guarantees,” insisted the leader, who added that staying in a hotel and a market exchange does not give for a long subsistence time.
Likewise, he said that they have been in the discussions that are being held in the Colombian Congress about the Catatumbo crisis but “people do not listen to each other.”
Regarding the security for the Catatumbo, the Minister of Defense, Iván Velásquez, said in Congress that “from the first moment when it was known what happened on January 16, all the capacities turned to saving lives specifically of persecuted signatories, of feared leaders like the population.”
Likewise, he said that within the second phase of this operation of the Military Forces for the security and defense of the territory, there are already five operations that have been developed by the National Army against the ELN and other armed actors.
“There has been pressure on all the armed actors that has also motivated structure 33, that 91 of its members have submitted, that we have been able to recover 20 minors, boys, girls, adolescents who were part of that organization, who had been recruited, as we always say, forcibly by structure 33,” Velásquez said.
International
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.
All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.
The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.
The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.
“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
International
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.
“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.
Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.
According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.
International
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.
The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.
Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.
Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.
The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.
Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.
Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.
In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.
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