• Human Rights Defenders

Second Follow-up Report on Recommendations: Situation of human rights defenders and social leaders in Colombia. This report published by Indepaz within the framework of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), assesses progress since the 2016 Peace Agreement and concludes that serious structural problems persist in the protection of these groups, despite some institutional advances. It finds that human rights defenders and community leaders continue to face high levels of violence, threats, forced displacement, criminalisation and widespread impunity for crimes committed against them, particularly in areas with a strong presence of armed groups and illicit economies. The report also highlights that the state response remains insufficient and fragmented, with significant weaknesses in prevention, effective protection and access to justice.

• Conflict, Victims and Peace Talks

Victims of extrajudicial killings ask Argentine judges to keep the lawsuit against Álvaro Uribe open. Victims of Colombia’s “false positives” killings (extrajudicial executions carried out by the army and falsely presented as combat deaths) have urged Argentine judges to keep open a case against former president Álvaro Uribe under the principle of universal jurisdiction. During a hearing, relatives of victims described how their family members were murdered and the crimes covered up, arguing that Colombia’s justice system does not provide sufficient guarantees to investigate a former head of state. The case, originally filed in 2023 by victims and human rights organisations, was dismissed by a lower court in 2025 but is now under appeal, with plaintiffs insisting the killings were part of a systematic policy and seeking accountability abroad.

At least 14 killed in northern Colombia clashes and massacre. At least 14 people, including two minors, were killed in northern Colombia in two separate but related incidents involving illegal armed groups, according to the Ombudsman’s Office. One incident was a massacre of civilians, while the other involved clashes between rival armed factions fighting for territorial control.

Buenaventura: Gangs announce truce amid a string of murders against young people. Criminal gangs in Buenaventura, known as the Shottas and Espartanos, have announced a new truce as part of ongoing dialogue efforts, despite a recent surge in violence that has disproportionately affected young people in the city. According to Colombia’s Ombudsman’s Office, at least 23 killings were recorded between February and March 2026, with most victims aged between 17 and 30, raising alarm among authorities and communities. The truce comes amid fears that violence could escalate further following the arrest of key leaders from both groups, which have long fought for territorial control in the strategic Pacific port.

“El Brujo,” a FARC dissident accused of crimes against peace signatories, is sent to jail.A Colombian judge has ordered the preventive imprisonment of Gerardo Álvarez Peña, alias “El Brujo”, a commander of FARC dissident group Frente 33, over allegations that he participated in attacks against former FARC combatants who signed the 2016 peace agreement. Which includes an attempted murder in 2022 in which armed men under his command allegedly targeted a peace signatory after he refused to join the group. Prosecutors also link him to the organisation of urban militias between 2020 and 2023 used to monitor security forces and confront rival armed groups amid ongoing territorial disputes in the Catatumbo region of Norte de Santander.

Massacre in Maicao: five dead after armed attack amid operations against the network of alias Naín. At least five people were killed in a massacre in the Villa Mery neighbourhood of Maicao, La Guajira, after armed men travelling in a vehicle opened fire indiscriminately on a group of people gathered in the street. According to preliminary information reported by authorities, the attack took place on 12 April 2026 and left several others injured, with some victims dying at the scene and others being taken to medical centres. The incident occurred amid ongoing security operations against a criminal network linked to alias Naín, and investigators are examining whether the killings are connected to recent state operations targeting that structure.

• Business, Human Rights, Environment and Indigenous peoples

The Beginning Of The End For Fossil Fuels Can Start In Colombia. Colombia could play a pivotal global role in accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels by hosting the first international conference dedicated to phasing them out, positioning itself as a leader in climate diplomacy despite its own dependence on coal and oil exports. The planned summit in Santa Marta, co-hosted with the Netherlands, could unite a “coalition of the willing” of countries seeking to move beyond fossil fuels, especially after progress was stalled at COP30 by major producers. By shifting discussions from slow UN consensus processes to a more flexible, economically driven coalition, the initiative could mobilise significant global economic weight, influence financial markets and redirect investment towards clean energy. Such a bloc, potentially representing a larger combined economy than the United States, could send a powerful signal that fossil fuels are in decline, while also stressing the need for a “just transition” that protects workers and developing economies reliant on extractive industries.

Environmental authority limits Coca-Cola’s exploitation of springs in La Calera to prioritize human consumption. Colombia’s regional environmental authority (CAR) has imposed significant limits on Coca-Cola’s water extraction from natural springs in La Calera, near Bogotá, prioritising human consumption amid growing concerns over water scarcity and climate change. The ruling allows the company’s bottling subsidiary to continue operating but restricts it to four of the seven springs it previously used, cuts its permitted extraction rate from 3.2 to 1.9 litres per second, and grants a shorter five-year licence instead of the ten years requested. The decision follows sustained pressure from local communities worried about water shortages, particularly after recent drought conditions and rationing in Bogotá, and is based on technical studies of water availability and climate projections.

Colombia to cull up to 80 hippos linked to drug lord Pablo Escobar. Colombia has approved a controversial plan to cull up to 80 hippopotamuses descended from animals brought into the country in the 1980s by drug lord Pablo Escobar, as authorities struggle to control their rapidly growing population. Now numbering in the hundreds and roaming far beyond Escobar’s former ranch, the hippos are considered an invasive species that threaten local ecosystems, displace native wildlife and pose risks to nearby communities. Environment Minister Irene Vélez said the cull is necessary after alternatives such as sterilisation and relocation proved too costly or ineffective.

‘A story that needs to be told’: the Manacillos festival of Colombia – photo essay

Manacillos festival, an ancestral Afro-Colombian celebration held in the remote village of Juntas along the Yurumanguí River, as a powerful expression of cultural identity, resistance and survival. Each year, hundreds of people, many returning after displacement caused by violence, poverty and state neglect, make a difficult journey to reunite for the four-day Holy Week ritual, which blends religious symbolism with historical memory rooted in slavery. Central to the festival is the “whipping game”, where masked participants reenact both biblical scenes and the violence endured by enslaved ancestors, alongside music, singing and communal ceremonies that honour the dead and defend their territory. Beyond celebration, the festival is an act of defiance against ongoing threats from armed groups, illegal mining and narcotrafficking, allowing participants to reaffirm their connection to the land and assert their continued existence despite the killing and disappearance of community leaders in recent years.

Colombia’s main river redraws the map of little-known night monkeys. New research has found the Magdalena River, rather than the Andes mountains, is the main natural barrier shaping the distribution and evolution of night monkeys (Aotus) in Colombia, with genetic analysis showing that populations living on opposite sides of the river are distinct despite being geographically close. This challenges earlier assumptions that altitude determined species differences and instead highlights the river’s role in limiting movement and driving divergence. The findings are significant for conservation, as these nocturnal primates are difficult to study and face threats from deforestation, agriculture and the pet trade.

Colombia Recorded 5.2 Million People Living in Multidimensional Poverty in 2025. In 2025, Colombia recorded 5.2 million people living in multidimensional poverty, equivalent to 9.9% of the population. The lowest level since measurements began in 2010, reflecting a continued post-pandemic decline and a reduction of around 793,000 people compared to 2024. This measure, produced by the national statistics agency (DANE), captures deprivation across areas such as education, health, employment, housing and access to public services rather than income alone, and defines households as poor if they lack at least a third of these indicators.

• Women and Gender Based Violence

“My grandmother performed female genital mutilation on my daughter behind my back when she was only 6 months old”: the endless cycle of genital mutilation in Colombia that one woman is fighting to end. This is the story of an Emberá Indigenous woman in Colombia whose infant daughter was subjected to female genital mutilation (FGM) without her consent, leaving the child with lasting health complications. She explores the persistence of the practice in marginalised communities where it is often justified by tradition, misinformation and gender norms. FGM, often underreported, is linked to infant deaths and long-term physical and psychological harm, and often carried out in remote areas with limited access to healthcare. Currently a proposed national law seeks to prevent and eradicate FGM through a public health approach rather than punishment.

• Civil Society and Protests

Farmers in Santander lift their strike over property taxes after six days of blockades. Farmers in Colombia’s Santander region have called off a six-day strike over sharp increases in property taxes after reaching an agreement with local authorities. The protests, which involved road blockades on key routes, were triggered by a government-led update to valuations that significantly raised the taxable value of rural land, in some cases by hundreds of percent. Under the agreement, authorities will review and adjust the new valuations, provide technical support to municipalities, and include farmers and local leaders in the process.

The Teachers’ Protest Continues in Colombia. A nationwide teachers’ strike in Colombia, led by unions including FECODE, continued on 15 April, with educators protesting proposed changes to their health insurance system as well as broader concerns over working conditions and the quality of public education. Demonstrations across major cities exposed ongoing tensions between teachers and the government of Gustavo Petro, with unions arguing that reforms risk undermining healthcare access and failing to address structural issues such as school infrastructure and student dropout rates.

United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia: Report of the Secretary-General. The latest report of the UN Secretary-General on the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, covering late December 2025 to March 2026, finds that implementation of the 2016 peace agreement continues but remains uneven, with notable progress in reintegration and transitional justice alongside persistent insecurity in conflict-affected regions. The mission verified ongoing violence, including killings of former FARC combatants and continued threats against social leaders, underscoring fragile security guarantees and the limited state presence in rural areas. While the government’s “Total Peace” strategy and dialogue efforts with armed groups have created opportunities to reduce violence, ceasefires have been inconsistent and negotiations complex. The report highlights advances in restorative justice through the Special Jurisdiction for Peace and stresses the importance of accelerating rural reform, protecting communities, and ensuring the inclusion of ethnic groups and women.

• International and Domestic Politics

Colombia’s Petro Announces Zero Tariffs on Products from Ecuador. President Petro has announced that Colombia will eliminate tariffs on imports from Ecuador, arguing that essential goods needed by the country should enter duty-free, even as a wider trade dispute escalates between the two neighbours. The decision marks a shift away from earlier retaliatory plans to impose sweeping tariffs in response to Ecuador’s move to raise duties on Colombian exports, part of a broader conflict fuelled by disagreements over border security, drug trafficking and diplomatic tensions.

US forces kill 4 people in latest strike on vessels in eastern Pacific. United States forces carried out another strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific, killing four people and marking the fourth US deadly strike in the past four days on vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean. This brings the overall death toll to at least 175 since early September,

Colombia’s history-making VP blames racism for four years of frustration. Francia Márquez, Colombia’s first Black vice-president, says racism has been a defining factor in the frustrations and obstacles she has faced during her time in office, describing the country as having a deeply entrenched “racist state”. In an interview with The Guardian, she speaks candidly about experiencing discrimination and racism in and outside government, alongside tensions in her strained relationship with President Petro, with whom she has reportedly had little direct contact for over a year.

Colombia court orders Petro government to return emergency funds. Colombia’s Constitutional Court has ordered Petro’s government to return funds raised under a now-invalidated economic emergency decree, dealing a significant blow to the administration’s finances. The emergency, declared earlier in 2026 to generate roughly 11 trillion pesos for the national budget, allowed the government to impose taxes by decree without congressional approval, raising about 1.67 trillion pesos before being struck down as unconstitutional. Crucially, the court ruled that the decision should apply retroactively, unlike in previous cases, meaning the government must reimburse the money already collected. The measures had included taxes on high-value assets, the financial sector and certain goods such as alcohol and vehicles.