• Conflict, Victims and Peace Talks

Wave of violence in Buenaventura leaves 23 dead and raises alert about war between groups. There has been a sharp escalation of violence in Buenaventura, Colombia, where at least 23 people were killed between February and March 2026, most of them young men aged 17 to 30. Prompting a warning from the Ombudsman’s Office about a worsening security crisis driven by clashes between armed groups competing for territorial control and illicit economies. The violence has intensified in several neighbourhoods as these groups reorganise following arrests and internal disputes.

Family says body found in Colombia identified as missing US flight attendant. A 32-year-old American Airlines flight attendant, Eric Fernando Gutiérrez Molina, who disappeared during a layover in Medellín, Colombia, has been confirmed dead. He was identified by authorities and his family after he had gone missing on 21 March after a night out with colleagues, during which he was last seen with individuals reportedly linked to thefts involving the drug scopolamine, which can cause disorientation and memory loss. A colleague who was with him returned to the hotel in a confused state, while Gutiérrez Molina vanished, prompting a search involving Colombian authorities. Officials say investigations are well advanced with potential suspects identified, though the cause of death remains unclear.

Why were arrest warrants issued for leaders of the Medellín peace talks?Colombia’s Attorney General’s Office has suspended arrest warrants for 23 top criminal leaders involved in the “urban peace” talks in Medellín’s Valle de Aburrá. A move requested by the government to allow their participation in negotiations from prison or under specific conditions, but which does not grant freedom to those already detained.

Children Rescued After Hiding from FARC Dissidents in the Colombian Jungle. The Colombian military rescued six child siblings who had been hiding for several days in the jungle in Caquetá to avoid being forcibly recruited by FARC dissident groups. The siblings fled after their family was targeted, surviving in remote rainforest conditions until their location was identified and troops carried out an operation to return them safely.

Colombian Armed Forces Killed the Partner of ‘Ivan Mordisco’ in Combat. Colombian armed forces killed the partner of EMC leader Iván Mordisco, known as alias “Lorena”. This was during a military operation in the remote jungle region of Vaupés, in which at least six members of his inner circle were killed as part of an intensified offensive. The joint air and ground assault struck a key security ring around Mordisco, seizing weapons, explosives and communications equipment, significantly weakening the group’s operational capacity, though the leader himself was not among the confirmed dead and remains a top military objective.

Starlink, the Missing Piece for Colombian Narco-Submarines to Extend Range. Colombian drug trafficking groups are increasingly equipping semi-submersible “narco-submarines” with Starlink satellite internet. This enables constant connectivity far out at sea and dramatically extends their operational range beyond traditional coastal routes to transoceanic journeys towards Europe and other distant markets. Authorities highlight that these vessels, already capable of carrying around 1.5 tonnes of cocaine and travelling hundreds of miles undetected, are becoming more sophisticated. Some recent models designed for remote or even unmanned operation, reducing the risk of arrests and eliminating onboard crews, while also making interception even harder.

Alias ​​Alambrito, accused of coordinating a massacre in La Guajira, was captured after a police operation on the Caribbean Coast. Colombian police captured Rafael Palma Moreno, alias “Alambrito”, during an operation on the Caribbean coast. Identifying him as a key figure within the criminal group Los Pachencas and the chief of security for a senior leader known as “Bendito Menor”. Authorities accuse him of coordinating a massacre in La Guajira and pursuing alliances with other criminal groups to expand operations.

The leaders of the Casanare Peasant Self-Defense Forces were sentenced for 15 murders and two forced disappearances. Colombian courts sentenced several former leaders of the Autodefensas Campesinas de Casanare (ACC) for their responsibility in 15 murders and two forced disappearances committed in the early 2000s. Among those convicted, some received sentences of over 26 years in prison for aggravated homicide and enforced disappearance, while others were given slightly shorter terms, reflecting differing levels of involvement. The crimes formed part of a broader pattern of violence through which the ACC exercised territorial control in eastern Colombia, targeting civilians accused of collaborating with guerrilla groups, and the ruling also includes symbolic and financial reparations for victims’ families.

Control of the Munguidó ravine threatens to unleash war between the ELN and Mordisco in Chocó. Colombia’s Ombudsman’s Office has issued an urgent warning over a likely outbreak of fighting between the ELN and Estado Mayor Central (EMC) in the Litoral del San Juan region of Chocó. Driven by both groups’ attempts to control the strategically important Munguidó stream, which connects the Calima and San Juan river basins and serves as a key corridor for drug trafficking, illegal mining and timber extraction. While the ELN has historically dominated the area, the gradual expansion of the EMC, particularly via the Jaime Martínez front, has destabilised that control, raising the risk of open conflict. The violence has already intensified, with at least one killing and two disappearances reported, and has led to the forced confinement of 1,367 people (465 families), mainly Afro-Colombian and Indigenous communities.

The Many Lives of ‘Iván Mordisco,’ Colombia’s Most Wanted. Iván Mordisco (real name Néstor Gregorio Vera Fernández) is one of the most enduring and adaptable figures in Colombia’s armed conflict. From a relatively low-profile FARC commander into the leader of the most powerful dissident faction after rejecting the 2016 peace agreement and becoming the first senior guerrilla to openly defect. Initially heading the 1st Front in the strategic coca-growing region of Guaviare, he leveraged control over key drug trafficking corridors into Brazil and Venezuela to finance and expand his structure. Which helped to transform what remained of the FARC into a network of criminalised armed groups with an estimated presence in over 100 municipalities with thousands of fighters. He has a reputation as a pragmatic but hardline leader, skilled in explosives, deeply distrustful and resistant to negotiations. He has repeatedly been reported dead only to re-emerge, consolidating power after the death of rival leaders such as Gentil Duarte and positioning himself at the centre of both violent territorial disputes and uneasy, often collapsing peace efforts with the Colombian government.

• Business, Human Rights, Environment and Indigenous peoples

This is how they looted children’s food in La Guajira: a corruption network stole more than $860 million through contract manipulation. A corruption scheme in La Guajira in which more than 860 million pesos intended for child nutrition programmes were allegedly embezzled through the manipulation of public contracts managed by the Colombian Family Welfare Institute (ICBF) between February and December 2019. Investigators found that officials and contractors used a facade of legal procedures to award contracts to a private organisation, inflating costs and diverting funds meant to provide food for young children and pregnant women in vulnerable communities, including Indigenous populations.

Working together, Indigenous peoples & researchers describe new Amazonian palm. A new Amazonian palm species, Attalea táam, has been discovered in the Colombian Amazon through close collaboration between researchers and the Indigenous Cacua community. The plant had long been known locally but was overlooked due to limited fieldwork and its similarity to other species. The study emphasises a research model in which Indigenous people were actively involved at every stage, from locating and mapping the palm to co-authoring the paper and contributing traditional ecological knowledge, leading to the identification of multiple previously undocumented populations and a deeper understanding of the species’ uses, such as food and materials.

Colombia’s finance minister abandons central bank meeting over latest interest rate hike. Colombia’s finance minister, Germán Ávila, abruptly left a central bank board meeting in protest over a decision to raise the benchmark interest rate by 100 basis points to 11.25%. He called the increase “disproportionate” and argued it would harm ordinary Colombians and potentially worsen inflation, while accusing policymakers of prioritising financial markets over the real economy. Backed by President Petro, Ávila announced the government would withdraw from the board entirely, escalating tensions with the independent central bank, whose governor defended the hike as necessary to bring inflation, still above the 3% target, under control.

• Women and Gender Based Violence

“MeToo Colombia”: the growing wave of sexual harassment allegations against female journalists that is shaking up the mainstream media. The #YoTeCreoColega movement grew quickly after a Caracol Television statement on alleged harassment triggered a wave of testimonies. With more than 200 complaints submitted in just eight days, many from women identifying both themselves and their alleged aggressors and detailing incidents spanning over three decades. Led by journalists, the campaign has exposed recurring patterns of abuse of power, particularly targeting young or junior women in precarious roles, alongside widespread normalisation of harassment in newsrooms, institutional inaction, and retaliation against those who speak out. Organisers now aim to move from collecting testimonies to providing legal support and pushing for structural reforms, including clearer definitions of harassment, effective reporting mechanisms, and accountability.

A record 9,000 reports of domestic violence in two months raise alarms in Bogotá. Between January and February 2026 Bogotá saw an unprecedented surge in reports of domestic violence, with 8,999 cases recorded, an average of 152 daily. This represents a 37.8 % increase compared with the same period in 2025 and the highest figure since 2003.

• Civil Society and Protests

Watch List 2026 – Spring Edition. International Crisis Group warns that Colombia is approaching a critical juncture as upcoming elections could either revive or further derail fragile peace efforts. With negotiations between the government and armed groups faltering amid persistent violence and expanding organised crime, armed factions continue to fragment and compete for control of lucrative illicit economies, undermining state authority and exposing civilians to insecurity. the report urges the EU and its member states to support dialogue efforts, strengthen rural security and governance, and help curb criminal economies.

UN Group Finds Surge of Colombian Mercenaries in Conflicts Around the World. a United Nations working group has warned of a significant rise in Colombians being recruited as mercenaries to fight in conflicts around the world. Estimating that more than 10,000 nationals, many of them former soldiers or police officers, have taken part in wars in countries such as Ukraine, Sudan and Yemen. Driven largely by economic hardship, lack of job opportunities and the promise of comparatively high salaries recruitment is often carried out through social media or informal networks, sometimes involving deceptive offers that can lead to exploitation, disappearance or death. With hundreds of families now searching for missing relatives, while the UN welcomed Colombia’s recent legal steps to curb mercenary activity.

Colombia: Population Movement (internal displacement) – DREF Final Report. Escalating violence and territorial conflict in Colombia has triggered a major humanitarian crisis, with at least 57,756 people forced to flee their homes and a further 25,411 confined to their communities, affecting over 83,000 people in total. Indigenous and Afro-Colombian populations were disproportionately impacted, facing severe restrictions on movement, loss of livelihoods and limited access to food, healthcare and basic services, while insecurity and geographic isolation complicated humanitarian access. In response, the Colombian Red Cross, supported by the IFRC, provided emergency assistance including food, hygiene kits, health services and protection support.

• International and Domestic Politics

At least five dead and around twenty injured in a traffic accident on the outskirts of Bogotá. A serious road accident on the morning of 1 April 2026 on the Bogotá–Ubaté route, in the department of Cundinamarca, left at least five people dead and 19 others injured after a milk‑laden tractor‑trailer lost its brakes and ploughed into a queue of vehicles including cars and a motorcycle. This caused a powerful explosion and fire that engulfed several vehicles.

The arrest of a man uncovers an international sex trafficking ring between Colombia and Mexico. The arrest of Edgar Johan Taborda Ortiz in Antioquia led Colombian authorities to uncover an international human trafficking network linked to sexual exploitation between Colombia and Mexico. Taborda, 31, identified as the principal recruiter and coordinator of the organisation, police allege he played a central role in the disappearance of María Camila Díaz, a 25‑year‑old Colombian woman who vanished after being promised employment as a waitress in Mexico in February 2025. The network has been using similar deceptive job offers to lure young women only for them to be isolated and exploited once abroad. Colombian authorities have previously warned of this transnational pattern after cases including eight Colombians rescued in Tabasco in 2024 and 14 in Quintana Roo in 2025.