标签： South America

A humanitarian convoy led by Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa was violently ambushed on Sunday night, resulting in 17 soldiers being taken hostage, according to government spokeswoman Carolina Jaramillo. The convoy, which included UN and European diplomats, was attacked by approximately 350 individuals armed with Molotov cocktails in Cotacachi, Imbabura province. The incident occurred during a national strike organized by Conaie, Ecuador’s largest Indigenous rights organization, in protest against the government’s decision to cut fuel subsidies. President Noboa, who was accompanied by the Italian ambassador and Vatican diplomats, condemned the attack, stating, ‘They resist Ecuador’s progress and chose violence. Ecuador cannot go backward.’ He shared images of the damaged vehicles on social media, emphasizing the severity of the assault. The Ecuadorian armed forces accused the attackers of being ‘terrorist groups’ and reported that 12 soldiers were injured in the clash. Meanwhile, Conaie claimed that one of its members, Efrain Fuerez, was shot three times and died in hospital, describing his death as a ‘state crime’ ordered by President Noboa. The organization denied any involvement in terrorism, asserting that ‘the true terror is imposed by the government with its repression.’ The UN Human Rights Council’s regional representative, Jan Jarab, called for an ‘urgent dialogue’ and a thorough investigation into the violence. Ecuador’s prosecutors’ office has announced it will probe the alleged death of Fuerez. In response to the escalating unrest, a state of emergency has been declared in eight provinces, with a nighttime curfew imposed in five. President Noboa has accused the Venezuelan cartel Tren de Aragua of orchestrating the demonstrations and warned that protesters breaking the law could face 30-year prison sentences for terrorism. This incident marks a significant escalation in the ongoing protests, which have already led to violent clashes across the country.

In a dramatic escalation of tensions, police and anti-government protesters clashed in Lima, Peru, over the weekend. The protests, organized under the banner of the ‘Gen Z march,’ saw thousands of young demonstrators, joined by bus and taxi drivers, march towards the Congress building to voice their outrage over rampant corruption, rising insecurity, and recent pension reforms. According to a human rights group, at least 18 protesters were injured, while a police officer suffered burns during the confrontations. Protesters, some of whom hurled stones and other projectiles, were met with tear gas and rubber bullets from law enforcement. The demonstrations, which began on September 20, were initially sparked by a controversial pension reform requiring young people to contribute to private pension funds. However, the protests have since broadened to include demands for President Dina Boluarte’s resignation, whose approval ratings have plummeted to single digits. Many Peruvians accuse her government of failing to address extortion by criminal gangs, including the Venezuela-based Tren de Aragua, which allegedly forces transport workers to pay ‘protection money.’ Protesters also criticized Congress for its perceived detachment from public interests, with one young woman telling local media, ‘We need a total change; we’re sick of this situation.’ Human rights groups condemned the police response, with one lawyer stating, ‘There was no justification for firing large amounts of tear gas, much less for attacking people.’ As the protests continue, the chants of ‘united for the Peru we deserve’ echo through Lima’s streets, underscoring the deep-seated discontent among Peruvians.

In the face of escalating tensions with the United States, Venezuela’s National Bolivarian Militia, a civilian force established by the late President Hugo Chávez in 2009, is mobilizing to defend the nation. Edith Perales, a 68-year-old militia member, is among thousands preparing for a potential US attack, following the deployment of US Navy ships in the South Caribbean under the guise of counter-narcotics operations. The militia, largely composed of senior citizens and inexperienced volunteers, has been called to active duty by President Nicolás Maduro, who has framed the US actions as a ‘non-declared war.’

The US has recently destroyed at least three boats allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela, resulting in 17 fatalities. This has further strained the already tense relationship between the two nations, exacerbated by Donald Trump’s return to office and his administration’s accusations of Maduro’s ties to drug cartels. The US has also doubled the reward for information leading to Maduro’s capture to $50 million, while labeling the Venezuelan criminal gang Tren de Aragua as a terrorist group.

Maduro, in response, has ordered the National Bolivarian Armed Forces (FANB) to train local militias, including those in Caracas’ 23 de Enero neighborhood, a traditional stronghold of Chavismo. Despite the militia’s lack of experience, its members, like Francisco Ojeda and Glady Rodríguez, express unwavering enthusiasm to defend their homeland. However, political analyst Benigno Alarcón suggests that Maduro’s strategy is less about combat readiness and more about creating a ‘human shield’ to deter US military action.

While Maduro claims over 8.2 million civilians are enlisted in the militia, this figure remains disputed. For Perales, who has served for decades, the militia represents a duty to protect his community. Despite his age and health, he remains prepared to defend Venezuela’s sovereignty, embodying the spirit of Chávez’s vision for a self-reliant nation.

The United States State Department announced on Friday its decision to revoke the visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro, citing his ‘incendiary actions’ during a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside the United Nations headquarters in New York. Petro, a leftist leader, had earlier criticized the Trump administration’s airstrikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea, labeling them as ‘acts of tyranny’ in an interview with the BBC. During the protest, Petro addressed a large crowd through a megaphone, urging ‘nations of the world’ to contribute soldiers for an army ‘larger than that of the United States’ and calling on U.S. soldiers to ‘disobey Trump’s order’ and ‘obey the order of humanity.’ The State Department condemned his remarks as reckless and inflammatory, leading to the visa revocation. Petro, who was already en route back to Bogota, has been a vocal critic of U.S. policies, particularly regarding the drug trade and Venezuela. Colombia’s Interior Minister Armando Benedetti defended Petro, suggesting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visa should have been revoked instead. This incident further strains the already tense relations between Colombia and the Trump administration, which has also denied visas to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and 80 officials, preventing their attendance at the UN General Assembly.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has strongly criticized the United States for its recent airstrikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea, labeling them as an ‘act of tyranny.’ In an interview with the BBC, Petro called for criminal proceedings against US officials if investigations confirm that Colombians were killed in the attacks. The airstrikes, which began this month and have reportedly claimed 17 lives, were defended by President Donald Trump as necessary measures to curb the flow of fentanyl and other illegal narcotics into the US. However, legal experts and lawmakers have raised concerns about potential violations of international human rights laws. Petro questioned the proportionality of the force used, stating, ‘Why launch a missile if you could simply stop the boat and arrest the crew? That’s what one would call murder.’ He emphasized that there should be ‘zero deaths’ in operations targeting drug-smuggling speedboats, noting Colombia’s history of successful maritime cocaine seizures without fatalities. The strikes, primarily focused on Venezuela, have drawn criticism from Democratic lawmakers and UN experts, who describe them as extrajudicial executions. The White House responded by asserting Trump’s commitment to using all available power to combat drug trafficking. Petro also accused the Trump administration of humiliating his people and vowed that South American nations would not ‘bow down to the king.’ This latest clash follows Trump’s designation of several Latin American drug-trafficking organizations as terrorist entities and his deployment of additional US military forces to the southern Caribbean. Petro, who has a contentious history with Trump, argued that it is the US president’s foreign policies that are isolating the United States.