International

The head of the Directorate of Intelligence of Colombia resissts linked to a corruption case

The head of the National Intelligence Directorate (DNI) of Colombia, Carlos Ramón González, resigned this Friday from his position, after he was linked to the corruption scandal in the state National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), which splashes several members of the Government and Congress.

The resignation of González, one of the people closest to the Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, with whom he played in the M-19 guerrilla in his youth, was confirmed by the same president in a message on his X account from Paris, where he attends the inauguration of the Olympic Games today.

“I accept the resignation of Carlos Ramón, director of the Directorate of National Intelligence. His position as head of civil intelligence is incompatible with any judicial investigation and with the same justice apparatus in the country,” Petro said.

González, who was also Petro’s right-hand man as director of the Administrative Department of the Presidency of the Republic (Dapre), was pointed out on Thursday by the Prosecutor’s Office as the person who last year ordered the payment of bribes to two important congressmen in exchange for legislative support to the Government.

As revealed on May 3 by the former deputy director for Disaster Management of the UNGRD, Sneyder Pinilla, money from that entity was used in 2023 to pay millionaires of bribies to the then president of the Senate, Iván Name, and that of the House of Representatives, Andrés Calle.

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That money was allegedly diverted from the one allocated for the purchase of 40 tanker trucks to supply water to the Caribbean department of La Guajira, a project in which resources were misappropriated because the vehicles acquired did not meet the technical conditions, among other failures.

The name of González, a very influential figure within the Government who had already been mentioned in the complaints, was officially cited yesterday by the Prosecutor’s Office at the accusation hearing against Pinilla and against the former director of the UNGRD Olmedo López, although the accusing entity has not yet filed charges.

At that hearing, the delegated prosecutor before the Supreme Court of Justice, Andrea Muñoz, said that the former Presidential Counselor for the Regions Sandra Ortiz, also involved in the corruption plot, received orders from González, as her direct boss when she was the director of Dapre, to allegedly deliver the co-ras to Congressmen Name and Calle.

“For the tranquility of prosecutors and judges, for their independence and good judgment and for the same defense work of Carlos Ramón’s lawyers, the best thing is the separation from his position,” Petro added in his message in X.

The corruption scandal in the UNGRD, the body that is responsible for attending to and preventing emergencies caused by natural disasters in the country, was uncovered by the press last February and since then has been growing to reach senior government officials.

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Another of those indicated in this process is the Minister of Finance, Ricardo Bonilla, who according to the Prosecutor’s Office was decisive, in coordination with Olmedo López, for the award of three contracts for 92 billion pesos (about 23 million dollars) to benefit six congressmen in exchange for supporting the extension of the Government’s debt quota.

In this case, Petro gave Bonilla a vote of confidence this Friday, pointing out that his actions have not been different from those of other finance ministers.

“I believe in the innocence of the Minister of Finance, because I know what has happened to all the ministers of Finance to maintain the macroeconomic stability of the country,” the president said.

International

Spain’s irregular migrant population rises to 840,000, study finds

The number of migrants living in Spain without legal residency status continues to rise and has reached 840,000 people, with 91% originating from the Americas, particularly Colombia, Peru and Honduras, according to a report by the Spanish think tank Funcas (Foundation of the Savings Banks).

An estimated 17.2% of the non-EU foreign population living in Spain is in an irregular administrative situation. The estimate is based on the gap between the number of foreign residents effectively living in Spain, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE), and those who hold a residence permit, benefit from international protection, or are in the process of obtaining it.

The data, as of January 1, 2025, point to a notable and sustained increase in irregular migration since 2017, when the estimated figure stood at around 107,000 people, representing 4.2% of the non-EU population residing in Spain.

By origin, migrants from the American continent stand out, totaling around 760,000 people, or 91% of all irregular migrants. Colombians account for nearly 290,000, followed by Peruvians with almost 110,000, and Hondurans with about 90,000. Migrants from Africa (50,000), Asia (15,000) and Europe (14,000) trail far behind.

The figures predate Spain’s latest immigration regulation reform, which came into force in May 2025 and introduces measures to ease access to legal status through residency ties. According to Funcas, the reform would, in principle, tend to reduce the number of migrants in an irregular situation.

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International

Historic snowstorm paralyzes Toronto after 60 centimeters of snow

Toronto, Canada’s largest city and the fourth most populous in North America, was largely paralyzed on Monday after a historic snowstorm dumped up to 60 centimeters of snow and sent temperatures plunging to -15 degrees Celsius, authorities said.

Late Sunday, as the scale of the snowfall became clear, city officials declared a climate emergency, triggering extraordinary measures including parking bans on several major streets to facilitate snow removal operations.

Toronto’s public transit authority reported that while some buses remain immobilized, subway and streetcar services are operating with relative normality, though localized disruptions may occur.

A similar situation is affecting the city’s commuter rail network, which remains operational but is experiencing significant delays on its main routes due to the severe weather conditions.

International

Venezuela frees at least 80 political prisoners, NGO says

At least 80 political prisoners were released on Sunday across Venezuela, human rights group Foro Penal reported, as the broader process of detainee releases continues at a slow pace under the interim government.

Foro Penal’s director, Alfredo Romero, wrote on social media platform X that verified releases took place nationwide and that the figure could rise as more confirmations are completed.

Attorney Gonzalo Himiob, also from Foro Penal, said the excarcelations occurred during the early hours of the day and emphasized that the number is not yet final pending further verification.

The releases are part of a series of steps announced by Venezuela’s interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, who took power after the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. military operation on Jan. 3, 2026. Rodríguez has pledged a significant number of liberations but has been criticized by opposition groups and rights organizations for the slow and nontransparent nature of the process.

So far, the Venezuelan government reports that 626 detainees have been freed since December, though independent counts by human rights groups suggest the number of actual political prisoner releases is lower and that many remain behind bars.

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Families of those still detained have maintained vigils outside prisons, hopeful for further releases even as broader concerns about political imprisonment and due process persist.