The officers are being investigated for the crimes of homicide and aggravated torture.

On Tuesday, the Technical Investigation Unit of the General Attorney’s Office arrested four members of the National Police for their responsibility in the death of Afro-Colombian Donovan Balanta, which occurred while he was in police custody in Bogota.

RELATED: Colombia Groups Demand Justice Over Donovan Balanta Death

The officers are being investigated for the crimes of homicide and aggravated torture. The investigation seeks to clarify both the reported physical assaults and the alleged failure to provide medical assistance that preceded the victim’s death.

According to authorities, the events date back to September 20, when a patrol responded to a dispute between neighbors in southern Bogota, which escalated into a confrontation between civilians and police officers.

During the operation, Donovan was detained by the officers. The Attorney General’s Office maintains that a sub-lieutenant and three patrol officers allegedly handcuffed him, punched and kicked him, and used a Taser on him.

Se conocen nuevos detalles del caso Donovan Balanta: capturan a cuatro policías y buscan a otros dos

Ampliación 👉 https://t.co/cAFAhkNcOT pic.twitter.com/reGjVavYX4

— Noticias Caracol (@NoticiasCaracol) October 19, 2026

The text reads, “New details emerge in the Donovan Balanta case: four police officers captured and two others sought”

The investigation indicates that, after his arrest, Balanta was taken to a police station, where the violence allegedly continued while he was detained within the official facilities.

According to the case file, the victim repeatedly requested medical attention due to respiratory difficulties and severe chest pains. Another detainee also reportedly requested assistance for Balanta, but he did not receive timely help.

The National Institute of Legal Medicine determined that the cause of death was a cardiac arrhythmia caused by the electric shocks he received during the procedure, according to the results of the forensic analysis.

Experts also documented multiple burns and various injuries on different parts of his body, evidence that supports the hypotheses investigated by the Prosecutor’s Office regarding possible acts of torture.

Demonstrators gather in Bogota to defend labor rights, public education, and social reforms.

Trade unions, social movements, and students took to the streets of Bogotá to protest in defense of labor rights, public education, and key social protections achieved for workers.… pic.twitter.com/Mfx1HL1vpN

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) October 14, 2026

teleSUR: JP

Source: teleSUR

Forest fires in the Peruvian region of Cusco have resulted in six deaths and one serious injury, official sources reported on Thursday. Authorities have bolstered response efforts by deploying aerial assets and have urged the public to refrain from burning grasslands and agricultural waste.

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Ecuador Reports Seven Active Forest Fires in Four Provinces

The most recent fatality was a 75-year-old man who attempted to extinguish a fire that broke out in a locality within the Chumbivilcas province of Cusco. According to the official news agency Andina, the death was confirmed by officers from the Peruvian National Police (PNP), who notified the Public Prosecutor’s Office to facilitate the recovery of the body and its transport to the morgue.

Meanwhile, the Cusco Regional Health Department (Geresa) reported that a 65-year-old man sustained burns over more than 90% of his body while trying to escape a forest fire in the community of Santo Domingo, located in the Acopía district of Acomayo province. The patient has been admitted to the Cusco Regional Hospital, where his condition is described as critical.

Andina further reported that five other people have died in forest fires across various locations in the Cusco region this year, including the districts of Yanatile (Calca), Colquepata (Paucartambo), and Yanahuara (Urubamba). Additionally, two siblings—aged 11 and 18—perished in a separate incident in the Pomacanchi district of Acomayo.

La sierra peruana vive una de sus temporadas de incendios forestales más críticas. El 13 de octubre, el Serfor reportó más de 50 incendios activos en 14 regiones y 334 focos de calor. La falta de lluvias, las altas temperaturas y los vientos, agravados por el fenómeno El Niño,… pic.twitter.com/um5MxfkXrv

— Revista Lima Gris (@Limagris) October 15, 2026

The text reads, “The Peruvian highlands are experiencing one of their most critical wildfire seasons. On October 13, SERFOR reported more than 50 active fires across 14 regions, along with 334 heat hotspots. A lack of rainfall, high temperatures, and strong winds—exacerbated by the El Niño phenomenon—led SENAMHI to issue a red alert, effective until October 16, for regions including Cusco, Apurímac, Ayacucho, Huancavelica, Arequipa, and Puno. Cusco has been hit the hardest, with over 16,000 hectares affected this year and at least five deaths reported. Rural families are losing grazing lands, crops, and livestock—their primary means of subsistence. Experts warn that the state’s response is focused solely on extinguishing fires, while a coordinated prevention system remains conspicuously absent. In this video, a local resident records himself in front of the flames to denounce this neglect and call for action from the authorities.”

Authorities have advised the public not to attempt to extinguish fires on their own and have reiterated their call to avoid the burning of grasslands and agricultural waste. They also requested that any instances of fires being left unattended in local areas be reported to the authorities.

The Peruvian Air Force (FAP) deployed a C-27J Spartan aircraft and an MI-17 helicopter this week—both equipped with firefighting systems—to address active blazes in the Cusco region. Nationwide, 35 active forest fire emergencies were reported.

On Tuesday, President Keiko Fujimori took part in an overflight of the town of Calca to oversee response efforts and assess the situation in the affected areas.

Following the inspection, she confirmed that two fires had already been brought under control and stated that the aerial units would remain in Cusco until this coming November.

Brazil has launched joint operations to track down those suspected of deliberately setting fires in the Amazon rainforest, as a sharp rise in blazes blankets Manaus with toxic smoke and pushes air pollution to critical levels for the city’s 2.3 million residents.

Authorities… pic.twitter.com/fMwYcgpg8h

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) October 15, 2026