International
Governor in Colombia: A ceasefire can be a demonstration of peace before COP16
The governor of the Colombian department of Valle del Cauca, Dilian Francisca Toro, believes that a ceasefire between armed groups in the Pacific “can happen” and would be “a demonstration of the will” of peace before the upcoming celebration of COP16 in Cali, the capital of that region.
“This has to serve, that nature, which is what reconciles us and is reconciling us at this moment, the conservation of life, serves for them to reflect and see that the most important thing is to be able to achieve peace, reconciliation and tranquility above all these communities so suffered,” Toro explains in an interview with EFE.
The objective of the United Nations Conference on Biodiversity (COP16), to be held from October 21 to November 1, with the participation of about 12,000 people, is to address the loss of biodiversity, restore ecosystems, distribute the benefits in a fair and equitable way and protect the rights of indigenous peoples.
However, the armed groups operating in the Pacific region have intensified their attacks in the vicinity of Cali in recent months, which set off alarms before the upcoming celebration of COP16, especially after the Central Staff (EMC), the main dissident of the FARC, referred to this international summit.
“I believe that (a ceasefire) can be a demonstration of the will to reduce all that onslaught of violence and suffering that the people of the Pacific have had, because it is those of the Colombian Pacific who have suffered the most violence and conflict,” says the governor.
Despite this, Toro is “completely calm” that COP16 will take place with total normality and without setbacks. “We have the certainty and we want to give all the certainty and security to the entire Colombian and international community,” he says.
The governor insists that to guarantee security there will be a “very great reinforcement of capabilities by the Army, the Police” and the regional authorities, including the purchase of technology such as anti-drones.
“What we want is for everyone to live it, that they do not tell them about it, but that they live the diversity in our region” and that they discover that “we can do a lot of ecotourism and that there nature is taken care of by indigenous, Afro-descendant, peasant communities and also civil society,” he says.
Toro highlights among the events of COP16 the summit of mayors and regional authorities that will take place on October 26, where they do not want to discuss, but to listen to the communities of each of the regions that are represented to know “how they take care of life, how they take care of nature, how they do to have sustainable development.”
“It is an opportunity, not only to take care of the environment, but that (COP16) becomes a closure of social gaps and inequalities, generating a sustainable economic development for those communities that live and that take care of that nature,” and those communities are precisely the ones that will be the protagonists of the summit, emphasizes the governor.
As for the expectations with COP16, he is confident that not only will the high-level negotiations “come to a successful conclusion,” but that “will serve to be able to continue taking care of nature, continue caring for biodiversity by 2030 as it is established.”
“And the most important thing is that we as a region, as a department, have a legacy (…) of culture, of the awareness of taking care of nature,” he adds.
So far, 145 delegations have confirmed their attendance, in addition to observer organizations, youth groups, civil society, academies and the general public that will negotiate and discuss the importance of the protection and restoration of nature through 23 goals for 2030 and four objectives for 2050.
International
Bogotá and Quito Seek Dialogue After Tariffs and Power Cut Escalate Tensions
Bogotá and Quito will hold an emergency bilateral summit next week amid recent developments that have strained relations between the two countries.
Tensions escalated this week after Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa unexpectedly announced a 30% tariff on Colombian imports. Colombia responded with a reciprocal measure, imposing the same tariff on around 20 Ecuadorian products and suspending electricity exports to Ecuador.
Aware that electricity imports are critical to easing Ecuador’s recent energy crises, Quito further imposed a 30% tariff on the transportation of Colombian oil through its territory.
However, recent statements from the Ecuadorian government suggest that dialogue between the two sides has intensified in recent hours. Ecuador’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabriela Sommerfeld, confirmed that active conversations are under way.
In Colombia, segments of the business sector have welcomed the prospect of negotiations. The National Business Council (Consejo Gremial Nacional, CGN), for instance, urged both governments to restore commercial relations, warning that the dispute “puts jobs and regional economic stability at risk.”
International
Trump-Era Defense Plan Prioritizes Border Security and Scales Back Global Commitments
The U.S. military will prioritize the defense of the homeland and the deterrence of China, while providing more limited support to its allies and elevating Latin America as a key focus of its agenda, according to a Pentagon strategic document released on Friday.
The 2026 National Defense Strategy (NDS) represents a significant shift from previous Pentagon policies, both in its emphasis on allies assuming greater responsibility with reduced backing from Washington and in its more moderate tone toward traditional adversaries such as China and Russia.
“As U.S. forces focus on defending the homeland and the Indo-Pacific, allies and partners elsewhere will assume primary responsibility for their own defense, with crucial but more limited support from U.S. forces,” the document states.
The previous defense strategy, published during President Joe Biden’s administration, described China as Washington’s most consequential challenge and characterized Russia as an “acute threat.”
The new strategy, however, calls for maintaining “respectful relations” with Beijing and makes no reference to Taiwan, the democratically governed island claimed by China and allied with the United States. It also describes the threat posed by Russia as “persistent but manageable,” particularly affecting NATO’s eastern members.
While both the Biden-era strategy and the Trump administration’s approach emphasize the importance of defending U.S. territory, they differ significantly in their assessment of the challenges facing the country.
The Trump administration’s NDS sharply criticizes the previous government for neglecting border security, arguing that this failure led to an “influx of illegal immigrants” and widespread narcotics trafficking.
International
Guatemala considers sending high-risk gang members to military prisons
Amid the escalating crisis in Guatemala’s prison system, the government is considering transferring high-risk gang members to military-run detention facilities, a move that analysts say could help address overcrowding and the lack of control in civilian prisons.
The debate has gained urgency following the killing of ten police officers by gang members, reportedly in retaliation after the government refused to meet demands made by Aldo Dupie Ochoa, alias “El Lobo,” leader of the Barrio 18 gang, which authorities identified as responsible for the attack.
Guatemala’s Minister of Defense, Henry David Sáenz, told local media that the possibility of relocating high-danger inmates to military brigades has not been formally discussed. However, he noted that the practice is not new to the Armed Forces and said it is something that “was already being done.”
One example is the detention center located within the Mariscal Zavala Military Brigade, in Zone 17 of Guatemala City, where several inmates are held under military supervision. The facility also houses high-profile detainees, including former official Eduardo Masaya, who faces corruption charges.
In 2015, a ministerial agreement authorized the establishment of the Zone Seventeen Detention Center within the brigade, with a maximum capacity of 114 inmates in Area A and 21 in Area B. The agreement specified that the facility would be used exclusively for civilians or military personnel considered at risk of assassination.
Additionally, since 2010, a prison has operated within the Matamoros Barracks in Zone 1 of Guatemala City, holding dangerous or high-profile inmates. However, media outlets have described these military detention centers as “VIP prisons,” particularly for former government officials such as ex-president Otto Pérez Molina.
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