• Human Rights Defenders

“Cúcuta is a city silenced by fear”: journalist receives death threats. Ignacio “Nacho” Arango, director of the digital news outlet Noticias Cúcuta 75, described Cúcuta as “a city silenced by fear”, arguing that journalists, social leaders and ordinary citizens face constant intimidation from criminal groups, corruption networks and armed actors. In an interview following the murder of journalist Cristian Herrera on 6 June, Arango said that threats against reporters have become so common that many journalists practise self-censorship or avoid investigating sensitive topics altogether. He recounted receiving repeated death threats and intimidation linked to his reporting and stated that fear has created a culture of silence in which people are reluctant to provide information or publicly denounce wrongdoing.

• Conflict, Victims and Peace Talks

Alias Totoro, head of the Carlos Patiño structure of the Mordisco dissidents, dies. Alias “Totoró” was killed during a military operation in the Micay Canyon region of Cauca. According to the Colombian military, he had recently assumed command of the unit and was responsible for coordinating armed actions, narcotics trafficking routes, weapons supply networks and attacks against the security forces in one of Colombia’s most strategically important coca-producing regions. The operation, carried out by the Army’s Rapid Deployment Force No. 4 with support from the Colombian Aerospace Force, targeted a camp in a rural area of El Tambo municipality.

Four of those killed in bombing against the Gulf Clan in Chocó were minors. Four of the nine people killed on 12 June were minors, according to identifications carried out by the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences. The operation targeted the Clan del Golfo’s John Freddy Orjuela structure and involved the Army, Navy, Aerospace Force and National Police. Following confirmation that four of the dead were under 18, the Clan del Golfo issued a statement denying that the minors were members of the organisation, claiming they had merely been visiting relatives in the area and were not part of the group’s armed structure. Authorities had not, at the time of reporting, publicly commented on the identities or circumstances of the minors.

Alias El Viejo, the capo who inherits the power of the Tren de Aragua in Colombia after the death of ‘Niño Guerrero’. Following the reported death of Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, alias “Niño Guerrero”, in a joint US-Venezuelan military operation, Colombian and international investigators have identified Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano, alias “El Viejo”, “Viejo Viejo” or “Giovanny”, as one of the most important remaining leaders of the Tren de Aragua and the figure most likely to inherit greater influence over the organisation’s operations in Colombia. Mosquera, a Venezuelan national wanted by both Colombian and US authorities, is alleged to have overseen the gang’s expansion in Bogotá, where the Tren de Aragua established itself by absorbing smaller local criminal groups and using them to carry out extortion, drug trafficking, human trafficking and other criminal activities. US authorities have offered a reward of up to US$5 million for information leading to his capture, while Colombian officials have long regarded him as one of their highest-priority targets.

Iván Cepeda denounces Abelardo De la Espriella before the International Criminal Court for his alleged links with paramilitary groups. Iván Cepeda filed a criminal complaint before Colombia’s Attorney General’s Office and submitted information to the International Criminal Court accusing his electoral rival, Abelardo De la Espriella, of alleged links to paramilitary groups, particularly the former Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC). Cepeda alleged that De la Espriella committed offences including criminal conspiracy, financing terrorism and illicit enrichment, claiming that he both received support from and provided support to paramilitary structures during the years of the AUC. Central to the complaint are allegations concerning De la Espriella’s role in the Fundación Iniciativas para la Paz (FIPAZ), an organisation active during the Santa Fe de Ralito negotiations between the Colombian government and paramilitary groups in the 2000s. Cepeda argued that previous investigations into these allegations were never adequately pursued and asked both Colombian authorities and the ICC to investigate further.

Colombia’s ELN rebels declare ceasefire before Sunday’s presidential election. The ELN have announced a unilateral ceasefire from 20 to 23 June ahead of the presidential run-off election. In a public statement, the ELN said the ceasefire was intended to allow Colombians to vote freely and without interference, while also warning against what it described as foreign involvement in the country’s political affairs.

Colombia asked the U.S. to sanction its illegal gold, but Washington bought it. According to a report, the Colombian government repeatedly urged the US for years to take stronger action against illegal gold linked to armed groups and environmental destruction. Yet, US companies continued importing significant quantities of Colombian gold whose origins were questioned by authorities. Evidence gathered by Colombian prosecutors and environmental investigators show how illegal mining networks, often connected to criminal organisations, infiltrated gold supply chains and used fraudulent documentation to slip illegally mined gold into the licit market. Documents reviewed by the investigation suggest that some mining companies exported gold volumes far greater than what was plausible.

Arrest ordered against Miguel Polo Polo for not apologizing to mothers of false positives. A Bogotá court ordered the arrest of congressman Miguel Polo Polo for three days and imposed a fine after finding him in contempt of court for failing to comply with a Constitutional Court ruling requiring him to publicly apologise to the Association of Mothers of False Positive Victims (MAFAPO). The case stems from an incident in November 2024 in which Polo Polo removed and discarded parts of the artistic installation Mujeres con las botas bien puestas (“Women with Their Boots On”), a memorial created by mothers of victims of Colombia’s “false positives” scandal. The Constitutional Court had ordered him to publish a clear public apology, however, the court found that he had not complied with the order and had instead continued defending his actions.

Crisis on the Caribbean Trunk: seven blockades, tourists trapped and communities confined. A deepening security and humanitarian crisis along Colombia’s Caribbean Highway (Troncal del Caribe), where seven roadblocks have paralysed the main route between Magdalena and La Guajira following clashes between the Colombian military and the Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra Nevada (ACSN). The armed group declared an armed strike in retaliation for military operations in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, leading to widespread disruption, with tourists, transporters and local residents stranded, businesses closed and indigenous Kogui communities confined to their territories. Authorities reported that the roadblocks were accompanied by attacks on security forces, including a drone attack on a police station in Buritaca, while local officials warned of a worsening humanitarian situation affecting children, elderly people and visitors trapped in the area.

“The population is at risk”: offensive of Calarcá dissidents in Antioquia warned. A growing offensive by FARC dissident forces loyal to alias “Calarcá Córdoba” in the north-east of Antioquia, particularly in the municipalities of Remedios and Segovia, where social leaders and local organisations say civilians face increasing risks of violence, displacement and confinement. The alarm was triggered by the killing of four farmers in Remedios on 6 June, a crime attributed by authorities to the dissident group, as well as reports of kidnappings, threats and the growing use of drones in the conflict.

• Business, Human Rights, Environment and Indigenous peoples

‘This is what I was born for’: the drought-ridden Colombian town that took on Coca-Cola Femsa – and won. Residents of La Calera, just outside Bogotá, successfully campaigned to restrict water extraction by Coca-Cola FEMSA’s Colombian subsidiary, Indega, after a severe drought left local households facing water shortages and rationing between 2024 and 2025. Despite being located near the Chingaza reservoir system, which supplies much of Bogotá’s water, residents discovered that Indega continued extracting groundwater from local springs to produce Agua Manantial bottled water while paying substantially less for the resource than local consumers. Community activists spent more than a year challenging the company’s water concession, despite facing intimidation and threats. In April 2026, the regional environmental authority, CAR Cundinamarca, ruled that Indega could only continue using four of its seven authorised springs, reduced its permitted extraction rate, shortened its concession from ten years to five, and introduced provisions allowing water extraction to be suspended during severe droughts. The company was also required to implement environmental compensation measures, including conservation projects and support for local water infrastructure.

The odyssey of voting in rural Bogotá. The challenges faced by residents of rural Bogotá in exercising their right to vote ahead of Colombia’s presidential run-off election. Although roughly three-quarters of Bogotá’s territory is rural, many communities in areas such as Sumapaz, Usme and Ciudad Bolívar face long and expensive journeys to reach polling stations, often relying on limited or informal transport options because of poor road infrastructure and a lack of public services. These difficulties are particularly acute for elderly people, those with disabilities and residents living in remote settlements. There are broader problems of state neglect, including weak internet and mobile connectivity, limited access to political information and low levels of electoral education, which leave many voters unfamiliar with the candidates’ programmes or even the voting process itself.

Exclusive: Colombia’s ELN open to talks with new president, but says it can survive military offensive. In a rare interview conducted in the jungles of Chocó, a commander of the western war front of the ELN known as “Yerson” said the group is willing to open peace negotiations with whoever wins Colombia’s presidential run-off election. However, he insisted that the ELN is also prepared to withstand a renewed military offensive if a tougher security strategy is adopted by the next government. Yerson rejected claims that the organisation is internally divided, arguing that the ELN remains unified despite years of military pressure and the collapse of peace talks under President Petro. He said any future negotiations would need to address social and economic inequalities affecting Colombia’s poorest communities.

• Women and Gender Based Violence

Senate approves Jineth Bedoya Law to train public servants in gender violence. Colombia’s Senate has approved the Jineth Bedoya Law in its final congressional debate, a measure that will require mandatory, periodic and assessable training on gender-based violence for public officials, contractors and others performing public functions who deal with victims seeking protection, justice or support. The legislation, named after journalist and gender rights campaigner Jineth Bedoya Lima, is designed to combat institutional violence and revictimisation, addressing situations in which victims are forced to repeatedly recount their experiences, face prejudice, have their complaints minimised or are blamed for the violence committed against them.

• Civil Society and Protests

Education Under Attack 2026. The Education Under Attack 2026 report identifies Colombia as one of the countries most affected by attacks on education worldwide during 2024–25, with schools, students and teachers increasingly caught up in armed conflict. The report highlights a rise in attacks on educational facilities, threats against teachers, the use and occupation of schools by armed groups and security forces, and the recruitment of children from educational settings. Colombia was among the countries with the highest number of incidents involving the military use of schools, particularly in conflict-affected rural areas where armed groups have expanded their presence. According to data cited in the report, dozens of schools were affected by attacks or occupations during 2025, disrupting education for thousands of students and staff. The report also notes that girls face heightened risks of conflict-related sexual violence linked to attacks.

• International and Domestic Politics

Unearthing a Colombian Politician’s Connections to Neo-Nazi Active Club Group. An investigation uncovered links between a Bogotá white supremacist club and Colombian politician Jorge Rodríguez, a businessman and unsuccessful 2026 congressional candidate for Centro Democrático. The investigation found that Rodríguez had engaged with Active Club Bogotá on social media and appeared in a February 2026 video alongside members, including Javier “Orlik” Ruiz, identified as a prominent leader of the group. Bellingcat documented the chapter’s celebration of Adolf Hitler’s birthday in 2025 and 2026 through Nazi-themed events, propaganda screenings and the display of swastikas. The report described Active Club Bogotá as the only officially recognised South American branch of the wider movement and found links between its members and international neo-Nazi networks, including Blood & Honour and Combat 18.Top of FormBottom of Form

The Attorney General’s Office removes Congresswoman Gloria Arizabaleta from her position for having ordered the suspension of Gustavo Petro. The Colombian Attorney General’s disciplinary office suspended congresswoman Gloria Arizabaleta, president of the House of Representatives’ Accusations Commission, after she unilaterally ordered the suspension of President Petro over allegations of unlawful participation in the presidential election campaign. Arizabaleta had issued a precautionary measure removing Petro from office until the conclusion of the election period, arguing that the president had violated rules prohibiting political intervention by public officials. However, the Procuraduría ruled that she lacked the constitutional authority to take such a decision, since any suspension of a sitting president would require a much broader process involving the full Accusations Commission, the House of Representatives and ultimately the Senate. The disciplinary body stated that her actions could constitute a “very serious offence” and could be illegal, suspending her from office until the end of her congressional term on 20 July.

Who is Beto Coral, the Colombian leftist activist detained by Homeland Security in Arizona, United States. Colombian activist and political commentator Beto Coral, who was detained by ICE in Arizona while facing immigration proceedings in the US. Coral, who left Colombia several years ago and became known through social media for his outspoken support of progressive causes and criticism of figures associated with the Colombian right, had built a large online following by commenting on corruption, human rights issues and Colombian politics. He was taken into custody during a routine immigration-related process and transferred to a detention facility. Supporters argue that he faces political persecution.