Colombian authorities announced Dec. 19 the dismantling of a narco network linked to Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel [2], with seven arrested by the elite Technical Investigation Group (CTI) in the cities of CalĂ, Palmira and Bogotá. Vehicles, "communications equipment" and four weapons were seized. The CTI said the ring smuggled cocaine, heroin and marijuana to Mexico from the southern port of Tumaco [3]." (Xinhua [4], El Pais [5], Cali, Dec. 19)
The Fourth Division of the Colombian army and the anti-kidnapping force GAULA are conducting a search for 10 campesinos allegedly abducted at a religious gathering by the FARC [6] guerillas in the hamlet (vereda) of Arrayanes in Cubarral municipality of Meta department. The new abductions come as the government is attempting to negotiate a hostage deal with the FARC. The guerillas issued a statement Dec. 21 saying no hostages will be released until a general "humanitarian agreement" is reached, under which FARC fighters held by the government would also be liberated. At least 27 politicians and soldiers are kept hostage by the FARC and are considered "exchangeable" for imprisoned guerillas. Another 700 civilians are also said to be held by the guerillas. (Xinhua [7], Dec. 22)
Riots continue in Colombia related to crashing financial pyramid scams [8], which the government says are linked to money-laundering networks. On Dec. 23, protesters demanding the return of their absconded investments ransacked shops and torched court offices in La Hormiga, Putumayo department. (El Pais [9], Dec. 23)
See our last posts on Colombia [10], Mexico's narco wars [11], and the econocataclysm [12]
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