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Colombia: alertas tras promociones de acusados de violencia de género

Bogotá, 22 oct (Prensa Latina) La Defensoría del Pueblo de Colombia instó hoy al Gobierno a revisar los nombramientos realizados en altos cargos de personas que enfrentan señalamientos por actos de violencias basadas en género.

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Legisladores colombianos cuestionan proyecto de Ley de Sometimiento

Bogotá, 22 oct (Prensa Latina) La Ley de Sometimiento impulsada por el Gobierno de Colombia, que transita por el Congreso y busca eliminar todo rastro de la política de paz total promovida por la anterior administración, es hoy objeto de críticas.

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Presidente de Colombia destituyó al ministro del Interior

Bogotá, 21 oct (Prensa Latina) El presidente de Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella, destituyó hoy al ministro del Interior, Rodrigo Lara, a menos de tres meses de su nombramiento en el cargo.

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Embajador de Cuba en Colombia denunció impacto del bloqueo de EEUU

Bogotá, 21 oct (Prensa Latina) El embajador de Cuba en Colombia, Carlos de Céspedes Piedra, denunció hoy aquí cómo el bloqueo que Estados Unidos impone a su país impacta a toda la sociedad, pero fundamentalmente a los grupos más vulnerables.

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Importaciones de Colombia crecieron 31,7 por ciento en agosto pasado

Bogotá, 21 oct (Prensa Latina) Las importaciones de Colombia sumaron siete mil 702 millones de dólares en agosto último, lo que representó un alza del 31,7 por ciento frente a idéntico periodo de 2025, divulgó hoy el Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE).

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Colombia: califican de improvisado trámite legislativo de Presupuesto

Bogotá, 21 oct (Prensa Latina) Legisladores de la bancada del Pacto Histórico atribuyeron hoy a la premura y a la improvisación lo ocurrido en el Congreso con el Presupuesto General de Colombia para 2027, que ahora será aprobado vía decreto.

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Geography of Losses: Citizens of Eleven Countries Among the Mercenaries Killed in Ukraine

Click to see the full-size image

Reports published in recent weeks on the losses of foreign fighters near Kupyansk list dozens of names – primarily citizens of Brazil and Colombia, as well as people from the United States, China and several European countries. Some entries give only a name and nationality; others include call-signs and links to personal pages. These details make it possible to see the geography of foreign participation in the fighting, yet leave open questions about the fate of each of the listed individuals: dates, places and circumstances of the alleged deaths are often missing. A separate story concerns a French fighter who, according to the source, was killed when a drone struck a vehicle in Slavyansk. Altogether the materials contain 40 names from 11 countries.

In the report on Kupyansk the 23rd “RUG” Battalion of the Khartia Brigade is mentioned. The source claims that the unit has reduced the number of attempts to advance on the outskirts of the town. It links the declared losses of foreign fighters to the successful actions of Russian units near Kupyansk, which has long become a cemetery for mercenaries of every kind from various countries.

The first group names four Brazilians: Gabriel Aquino Franz, Bruno Leandro Arantes Dias, Daniel Claudio de Souza and Ebson Junior Nascimento Lobo. Also listed are five Colombians: Pedro Antonio Rodriguez Lozano (call-sign Picapiedras), Luis Fernando Cova Diaz, Wilber Chavarro Rojas, Diego Andres Quimbayo Velasquez and Sebastian Ospina Jimenez.

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The second group consists entirely of Brazilian citizens. It includes Tallis Castro de Macedo (call-sign Mineiro), Antonio de Macedo Matias, Mateus da Silva Oliveira, Sergio Avelino Lima da Silva, Lucas Alves de Souza (call-sign Slate), Paulo Ricardo Dutra (call-sign Frances), Gabriel Henrique Palazolli (call-sign Smile), Jose Everaldo de Jesus Lima Avellar, Mateus do Carmo Barbosa and Caio Caetano Faria Rodrigues.

Click to see the full-size image

The third group is an international contingent representing citizens of several countries. Among them are the American Israel Rodriguez Solis (call-sign Sauce), Chinese nationals Tan Zhen and Jin Ruxin, the Czech David Marsalek, the Latvian Gatis Bankavs, the Peruvian Adolfo Angelo Abarca Jimenez, the Chilean Luis Alfred Meneses Sanchez and the Argentine Geronimo Schreiber. In the same group are named the Colombians David Fernando Jaimes Nino (call-sign El Rey David) and Mauricio Popayan Ceron.

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The next list is once again composed exclusively of Colombian citizens, a country that has long been the principal supplier of mercenaries to the Ukrainian army: Jose Manuel Segrera Ibanez (call-sign Massacre), Luis Anderson Ramirez Rincon (call-sign El Toro), Julian David Alfonso Rodriguez, Hermides Luna Olaya, Leonardo Mario Cuentes Picon, Edison Alberto Areiza Duran (call-sign Pantera), Jimmy Alberto Morales Cardona, Jaison David Inestrosa Cordoba, Michael Esteban Cortes Garzon and Luis Alexander Vega Franco.

Click to see the full-size image

Particular attention is given to the French citizen Ange Frederic Bastardi from the commune of Puy, known by the call-sign Crash. He was killed in Slavyansk when a fibre-optic-controlled FPV drone struck a Nissan vehicle that, according to the report, belonged to the 60th Separate Mechanised Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The strike took place on Torskaya Street.

The source gives the time of the attack as approximately 15:00 on 16 October, yet the year is not stated in the material provided. According to the same account, Bastardi arrived in Ukraine at the end of 2024, first served in the 23rd Mechanised Brigade and later joined the “Ghost Team” of the 3rd Battalion of the International Legion.

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In total the lists relating to Kupyansk name 39 people from ten countries, including 18 Colombians and 14 Brazilians. Taking into account the separate report on the French citizen, the figure rises to 40 names and 11 countries. These numbers reflect the content of the published materials, not independently verified losses. Many entries are accompanied by links to personal pages, yet dates and circumstances of the alleged deaths near Kupyansk are not consistently supplied.


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Colombia Budget Bill Faces Legal Challenge Over Text Discrepancy

Colombian Senator Esmeralda Hernández raises concerns over Article 65 of the 2027 national budget bill.

Senator Esmeralda Hernández says Colombia’s two legislative chambers approved different versions of a budget provision without reconciling them before the deadline.


A dispute over conflicting versions of a provision in Colombia’s 2027 national budget has raised questions about the bill’s legislative validity. Senator Esmeralda Hernández says the Senate and House of Representatives approved different versions of Article 65 but failed to reconcile them before the October 20 deadline.

RELATED: Colombia’s Congress Approves 2027 Budget Over Opposition Objections

The provision concerns the stabilization of funds against fluctuations in international oil prices and gasoline prices. The budget, approved at 634.9 trillion pesos, is at the center of a disagreement over whether the legislative process complied with the required procedure.

Hernández said she identified the discrepancy alongside Lina García Sierra, Bogotá’s regional ombudswoman. They presented their findings in an interview with journalist Daniel Coronell on his program El Reporte Coronell.

According to Hernández, the Senate approved the original version of Article 65, while the House adopted a different text that included a proposal by Senator Juan Fernando Caicedo of the Democratic Center party and two additional paragraphs.

¡Tumbamos el Presupuesto de Abelardo!

Tras una revisión rigurosa junto a @LinaGarciaSi, encontramos que Cámara y Senado aprobaron textos diferentes, sin la conciliación obligatoria. Por el afán de pupitrearlo terminaron haciéndolo mal, a medianoche y de espaldas al país.

¡A la… pic.twitter.com/nPpWeItzII

— Esmeralda Hernández (@EsmeHernandezSi) October 21, 2026

Text Reads: We’ve taken down Abelardo’s Budget! After a rigorous review alongside@LinaGarciaSi, we found that the House and Senate approved different texts, without the mandatory reconciliation. In their rush to ram it through, they ended up doing it wrong, at midnight and behind the country’s back. We confront mediocrity and lies with rigor and arguments!

Caicedo withdrew his proposal during a Senate plenary session, leaving it on record rather than seeking its approval. “As the sole author of the proposal, I withdraw it and leave it on record,” he said.

“In the Senate, they approve the original text, while the House approves the text with Caicedo’s proposal, signed by a House representative, resulting in a different text,” Hernández told Coronell.

The Senate’s General Secretariat confirmed on October 20 that Article 65 had been approved without proposals or amendments. In a statement, Secretary-General Diego Alejandro González González said he had instructed the chamber’s reporting office to publish the official link to all proposals approved by the plenary, noting that none concerned Article 65.

#Colombia | Congress approved a US$201 billion budget for 2027 amid opposition criticism of cuts to education, social programs, and peace institutions.
The Historic Pact coalition announced legal challenges over reduced funding for the Special Jurisdiction for Peace.#Colombia… pic.twitter.com/Dq6v6E2Ksh

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) October 20, 2026

The House maintained during the debate that both chambers had approved identical texts. John Édgar Pérez, a Cambio Radical representative and coordinating rapporteur for the bill, argued that reconciliation was unnecessary and proposed that the House adopt the version approved by the Senate.

The House passed the budget in the early hours of October 20, with 96 votes in favor and one against.

Hernández argues that the differences required a reconciliation committee to produce a unified text and submit it to the appropriate legislative procedure. She maintains that the House vote came too late to complete that process before the legal deadline.

García warned that the failure to reconcile the texts could jeopardize the legality of the entire budget. She said she would file a constitutional challenge if the government enacted the legislation despite the alleged irregularity. Her statements reflect her legal assessment; no judicial ruling on the budget’s validity was cited.

Carlos Meisel, the Senate’s coordinating rapporteur for the bill, disputed the argument that a potential change introduced during the House proceedings would invalidate the entire process.

Meisel said the version approved during the first debate by the joint economic committees could serve as the basis for issuing the budget by decree. He added that this version accounted for 95% of the content subsequently approved by the Senate and had been developed through agreements with the national government.

El Presupuesto fue aprobado ayer en la plenaria del Senado de la República sin ningún error ni vicio.
Lo que aparentemente ocurrió después en la Cámara de Representantes (de ser cierto), no vicia todo el proceso desde el inicio.
Queda para decreto el texto que se aprobó en primer…

— Carlos Meisel (@carlosmeiselv) October 21, 2026

Text Reads: The Budget was approved yesterday in the plenary session of the Senate of the Republic without any errors or flaws. What apparently happened afterward in the House of Representatives (if true) does not taint the entire process from the beginning. The text approved in the first debate in the economic committees remains for decree. So please, let’s not exaggerate the uncertainty, because in any case, there is a budget and it is the one from the first debate. This one also came from a collective construction with the government. (And among other things, it was 95% of what was voted on yesterday) At this moment, this country does not benefit from us adding more nerves, and that’s why we work so arduously and committedly on a calm construction and agreements.

The dispute centers on whether the two chambers approved different versions of Article 65 and what consequences that discrepancy could have for the 2027 budget. Hernández argues that the lack of reconciliation left the legislative process incomplete, while Meisel maintains that a potential irregularity at a later stage would not invalidate the preceding steps.

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Cubanos residentes en Colombia rechazan presiones de EEUU

Bogotá, 20 oct (Prensa Latina) La Asociación de Cubanos residentes en Colombia (ACRC) rechazó hoy las presiones ejercidas por parte de Estados Unidos hacia otros países que históricamente rechazan en la ONU el bloqueo impuesto contra la isla por Washington.

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Partido progresista colombiano convoca a protestas el 24 de noviembre

Bogotá, 20 oct (Prensa Latina) La bancada del partido Pacto Histórico convocó hoy a una movilización para el próximo 24 de noviembre para protestar por el Presupuesto General de 2027 que, según alegó, desestima las necesidades de los más pobres.

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Denuncian en Colombia opacidad en financiación para damnificados

Bogotá, 20 oct (Prensa Latina) Los reclamos al Gobierno de Colombia por la opacidad en torno a la financiación necesaria para ayudar a los damnificados por el sismo del pasado 10 de agosto continúan hoy en el país.

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Colombia’s Congress Approves 2027 Budget Over Opposition Objections

The Historic Pact questioned the law’s direction by pointing out that the government preferred to protect financial institutions, oligopolies and the most favored ones rather than devote more resources to key sectors such as education. Photo: El Pais.

Colombia’s Congress approved the 2027 national budget of 200 billion dollars on October 20, igniting a backlash from opposition lawmakers who say the plan favors debt payments and financial interests over education, peace and regional development.


The approval of the General Budget of Colombia for 2027 capped a tense legislative session.

President Abelardo de la Espriella’s government secured passage of the law, worth 634.9 trillion Colombian pesos (about $200 billion), over the objections of the opposition, which was led mainly by the Historic Pact party.

RELATED: Colombia’s First National Strike Against De la Espriella Met With Police Crackdown

Representative María Fernanda Carrascal described the debate as a “disaster” and faulted the national government for refusing to accept any of the 700 proposals submitted by her party. The initiatives sought to channel more resources into public education, support for victims of violence and the regions, she detailed. Faced with the lack of agreement, the opposition walked out of the debate, stating it would not back a measure it considers harmful to the country.

The Historic Pact also questioned the law’s orientation, arguing that the government chose to protect financial entities, oligopolies and the most favored sectors. They further denounced that the project promotes over-indebtedness, which they say will end up shifting heavier tax burdens onto Colombian citizens.

🇨🇴 ¡Colombia tiene Presupuesto para 2027!
El Congreso de la República aprobó por $634,9 billones el Presupuesto de la Verdad, el primer paso para volver a encaminar la economía del país hacia el crecimiento, la responsabilidad fiscal y la atención de las necesidades del país. pic.twitter.com/pHiLhYzVTU

— MinHacienda (@MinHacienda) October 20, 2026

Text reads: “Colombia has budget for 2027! The Congress of the Republic approved the Truth Budget for $634.9 trillion, the first step to reorient the country’s economy toward growth, fiscal responsibility, and meeting the country’s needs.”

Other voices in the legislature added their objections. Senator Jennifer Pedraza of the Dignity and Commitment party (Dignidad y Compromiso, in Spanish) criticized the absence of a fixed allocation to address the consequences of the earthquake that struck on August 10. She questioned the fact that assistance to hard-hit departments such as Risaralda, Chocó and Valle del Cauca depends solely on leftover budget balances.

Senator Ariel Ávila, in turn, lamented the underfunding of resources earmarked for electric infrastructure and energization in non-interconnected zones such as Vichada, Guainía, Arauca, Putumayo and Vaupés. He also pointed to a lack of concern for victims of the armed conflict and what he called a budgetary strangling of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP).

After the law’s validation, Congress gave the Executive 90 days to draft a fiscal adjustment plan, which the national administration has called the Rescue Law. The Ministry of Finance and the cabinet are already holding talks with the International Monetary Fund, a signal that new credit instruments and the conditions attached to them may be on the negotiating table.

Mobilization Set for November

The Historic Pact called on citizens to join a national mobilization on November 24 to reject the budget. The party maintains that the project raises debt service by 46% while cutting investment in the Special Jurisdiction for Peace by 82% and stripping 500 billion Colombian pesos (about $157 million) from the National Learning Service (SENA).

Lawmakers also warned that 14 departments will see their real investment shrink. They denounced that the norm prioritizes debt repayment over the financing of peace, education and regional development. “The complaint is clear: more resources for debt and less for peace, education and the regions,” the party stated on social media.

The mobilization announced for late November now stands as the opposition’s next test of strength. In the meantime, the government’s 90-day clock to deliver its fiscal adjustment plan is running, and the talks with the International Monetary Fund could define the conditions under which Colombia finances its 2027 spending. The opposition has vowed to keep the pressure on, both in the streets and in the legislature.

📢 ¡24 DE NOVIEMBRE: MOVILIZACIÓN NACIONAL!

La bancada del Pacto Histórico llama a la movilización frente al Presupuesto 2027 del Gobierno de Abelardo de la Espriella, por $634,9 billones.

Según la bancada, el servicio de la deuda aumenta un 46%, la inversión de la JEP cae un… pic.twitter.com/F5IYf2YDVb

— Pacto Histórico Oficial (@PactoCol) October 20, 2026

Text reads: “November 24: National Mobilization! The Historic Pact bench calls for mobilization against the 2027 budget of the government of Abelardo de la Espriella, for $634.9 billion. According to the bank, debt service increases by 46%, Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) investment falls by 82%, National Learning Service (SENA) loses $500 billion, and 14 departments will receive less real investment. The denunciation is clear: more resources for debt and less for peace, education, and regions.”

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Colombia’s far-right president faces first round of major protests

On October 14, tens of thousands of Colombians took to the streets to protest against the government of far-right leader Abelardo de la Espriella, who has been in office for just two months.

The protests demonstrated the opposition’s clear ability to mobilize its base and fill the streets of several Colombian cities, even though the new government is still in its early days.

Protesters – including members of labor unions, Indigenous organizations, opposition parties, and students – marched through the streets of the capital, Bogotá, as well as other major cities across the country, such as Cali, Medellín, Bucaramanga, Riohacha, and Pereira.

In an address to the nation, De la Espriella stated that 98% of the protests were peaceful, though he also warned the demonstrators: “From the very first day of my administration, I have issued a directive that leaves no room for interpretation: peaceful protest is respected, protected, and guaranteed. But violence, vandalism, and any attempt to violate the rights of others will have no place under my administration.”

He also added: “Here there is a state, here there is authority, and here there is a government that respects freedoms, enforces the law, and protects the millions of Colombians who get up early every day to work and build our nation.”

Criticism

The main criticisms leveled against the government focused on the executive branch’s neoliberal agenda and its security policy. According to the protesters, De la Espriella is failing to address the difficult labor, educational, economic, and territorial conditions faced by Colombians; on the contrary, his political agenda is making these circumstances worse.

Specifically, the protesters complained about cuts and adjustments to the budgets of public institutions, the lack of greater public investment in education, and the fear among several indigenous organizations that the government’s new measures will prevent them from freely exercising their right to protest.

In fact, one of the main catalysts for the protests has been the signing of a presidential decree that empowers state agents to intervene more directly against protesters – a move that has been criticized, according to the protesters, for its anti-democratic intent.

On this point, social organizations, such as the Cauca Regional Indigenous Council assert that, fearing a popular backlash like the one Iván Duque faced (which turned into what some called a “rebellion” by young people that lasted several weeks in 2021), De la Espriella signed Decree 1525, which modifies law enforcement protocols to give state forces greater leeway when dealing with protesters.

Among other measures, law enforcement can now take direct action in response to protests without the need for exhaustive dialogue, as previously required by the regulation. Several human rights organizations have expressed concern about the decree, stating that it could increase the risk of abuses and reduce mediation as the primary course of action, which already was barely used. During the 2021 national strike in Colombia, 46 people were killed in the context of the heavy police repression of the strike.

One of the people attending the demonstrations last week was former President Gustavo Petro, who optimistically stated that the protests reflect a popular response to the executive branch’s decisions: “The people can organize themselves, and two months into the start of a tyrannical and imposed government, this is the best wake-up call. The time has come for a Latin American day of popular mobilization.”

Petro, who has just resumed leadership of the Pacto Histórico – a coalition of movements that supported his political project – also said: “This is how we respond to adversity with dignity, with the determination to win again, without fear. Life is our companion, not death. The people won’t give up, damn it.”

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Oposición rechaza aprobación del Presupuesto de Colombia para el 2027

Desde el Pacto Histórico cuestionaron la orientación de la ley al señalar que el Gobierno prefirió proteger a entidades financieras, oligopolios y a los más favorecidos en lugar de destinar mayores recursos a sectores clave como la educación.
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El hip hop irrumpe en la escena cultural de Bogotá

Bogotá, 20 oct (Prensa Latina) Las autoridades de Bogotá se alistan hoy para la celebración de la edición 28 de Hip Hop al Parque, un festival que se celebrará los días 24 y 25 de octubre en el Parque Simón Bolívar.

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“Questa è una di quelle storie straordinarie in cui si fa un’incredibile scoperta per caso”: vede sui social una foto con una ninfea gigante e realizza che si tratta di una nuova specie

È bastata una foto pubblicata su Instagram per arrivare alla scoperta di una nuova specie di ninfea. La scoperta effettuata recentemente da un botanista di fama internazionale, Carlos Magdalena, responsabile del Tropical Nursery dei Royal Botanic Gardens di Kew, a Londra, parte infatti da una semplice fotografia vista sui social.

A postare lo scatto rivelatore è stato un vivaista specializzato in piante carnivore, Jeremia Harris, che sul proprio profilo Instagram dedicato proprio a mostrare queste foto aveva caricato una foto con quella che riteneva essere una comune ninfea della specie Victoria amazonica. Vedendo questa foto, però, il botanista si è insospettito, mettendosi dunque da subito alla ricerca per capire di che specie si trattasse.

L’intuizione che potesse trattarsi di una specie ancora non nota gli è arrivata dal fatto che a Inirida, dove è stata scattata la foto, non è presente quel tipo di vegetazione floreale. Così Magdalena ha esaminato le immagini satellitari della regione e ha individuato questa ninfea che presentava caratteristiche diverse dalla comune Victoria amazonica. Grazie alla conferma ricevuta da parte di Harris, sul fatto che fosse stata la stessa che le guide locali avevano fatto vedere a lui, il botanista ha deciso di organizzare insieme ad altri colleghi una visita in questo luogo.

La scoperta di una nuova specie di ninfea: “Un risultato botanico davvero straordinario”

Purtroppo, però, durante la visita sono stati individuati due soli esemplari isolati, nessuno dei quali in fiore. Questo non avrebbe consentito di creare un erbario essiccato e pressato da poter poi confrontare con gli altri. Grazie, però, al sostegno e alle indicazioni di una persona della comunità indigena locale, Magdalena è riuscito nell’ultima notte di viaggio a trovare un altro gruppo di cinque esemplari di ninfee giganti, tra cui una in fiore.

Questo ha permesso poi al gruppo di lavoro di avere a disposizione il materiale necessario per iniziare a descrivere formalmente la pianta, nuova per la scienza e ora chiamata Victoria colombiana. “Questa è una di quelle storie straordinarie in cui le conoscenze indigene e botaniche, con l’aiuto dei social media e della tecnologia, si sono unite per portare alla luce un risultato botanico davvero straordinario. È anche un promemoria del fatto che la natura è ancora piena di sorprese e meraviglie” ha spiegato Carlos Magdalena.

L'articolo “Questa è una di quelle storie straordinarie in cui si fa un’incredibile scoperta per caso”: vede sui social una foto con una ninfea gigante e realizza che si tratta di una nuova specie proviene da Il Fatto Quotidiano.

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Colombia’s government under fire over removals at the National Museum

The National Museum of Colombia is rarely at the center of national debate, but this weekend it became the main focal point of controversy. On Thursday, alarm bells rang for many citizens when they saw that part of the nation had been erased from the galleries displaying objects, documents and photographs selected by curators to represent Colombia’s history and diversity.

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© Fernando Vergara (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

Protest at the National Museum in Bogotá on October 17.
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Ukraine has identified nearly 46,000 foreigners from 151 countries in Russia’s army—and says Moscow is on pace to meet its 2026 hiring plan

ukrainians capture first north korean pow military says claimed prisoner war dprk tme/ the_warhal18 zayavlenyj-polonenyj-vijskovyj-kndr-2 26 reports emerged ukrainian special forces had captured soldier fighting russia during operation kursk oblast

Ukraine holds personal data on each of the nearly 46,000 foreigners it has identified as signing with Russia’s army since 2022, Dmytro Usov, secretary of its prisoner-of-war coordination headquarters, said on 19 October. If the current pace holds, he expects this year’s contracts to reach Moscow’s plan. Meanwhile, a survey of captured foreigners gave a split answer on how many knew they were heading to war.

Usov said 41% of surveyed foreign POWs signed at enlistment offices and recruitment points, which the headquarters reads as a sign of a systematic campaign. He also said the hiring is meant to ease the social and budget burden of Russia’s own losses. Russia has long turned to foreigners to offset shortages in its regular forces. In April, Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) said enlistment offices had reportedly been assigned regional quotas.

A count built name by name

Usov, a brigadier general and secretary of Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, spoke at the international conference Crimea Global. He said Russia’s Defense Ministry has signed 45,959 foreigners from 151 countries. Ukraine’s records include each one’s rank, dog tag, and contract date.

The figure counts everyone who signed, not only those serving now. In April, Usov said his count left out North Korea’s regular troops, that 25–30% more recruits were likely still unidentified, and that at least 5,149 foreign recruits had died, Interfax-Ukraine reported.

This year’s contracts near the plan

Contracts have grown every year: 94 in 2022, 4,067 in 2023, 8,877 in 2024, and 16,085 in 2025. Some names surface late. At the same April event, Interfax-Ukraine reported, Usov had put 2025 at 13,997 and said the headquarters adds newly identified foreigners every month.

For 2026, Russia’s Defense Ministry planned 18,500 foreign contracts. Ukraine knows of 16,168 so far, roughly level with all of 2025. Another 668 contracts still have no year assigned. If the same dynamic holds, Usov said, the ministry will fully meet its plan and may even exceed it.

He named Indonesia, Peru, Chad, and Zimbabwe among the ten countries that drove the growth in recruits, Ukrinform reported. At the same time, he said, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry and POW agencies have cut recruitment in some countries and stopped it in others.

What captured foreigners told Ukraine

Ukrainian forces have captured citizens of 59 countries since the full-scale invasion began. Uzbeks, Tajiks, Belarusians, and Colombians are among the largest groups.

In the headquarters’ survey of foreign POWs, nearly half said they knew they would fight Ukrainian soldiers and civilians. Another 28% said they didn’t know, 14.8% weren’t sure, and 13.8% said they were deceived. The headquarters ran the survey, and neither report gave a sample size or explained how the shares fit together. Usov said the results showed most knew where they were going. Almost 47% said they signed up for Russian citizenship.

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Colômbia. Derrocada de mina faz pelo menos 14 mortos

O governo de Nariño informou que outras sete pessoas ficaram feridas no acidente perto da cidade de Santa Bárbara de Iscuandé. Operações de busca terminaram na noite de segunda-feira.

© CARLOS ORTEGA/EPA

Santa Bárbara de Iscuandé está rodeada por uma densa floresta tropical e só pode ser acedida por barco ou pequenas aeronaves, o que dificulta a chegada das equipas de socorro ao local
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