The Latin American Report # 518

Colombia

Colombian authorities announced the capture of two guerrilla fighters from the FARC-EP dissidents who allegedly participated in one of the twenty-four attacks that struck the departments of Cauca and Valle del Cauca last Tuesday, resulting in at least eight fatal victims among civilians (six) and members of the security forces (two). President Gustavo Petro's peace process has been undermined by the unwillingness of the National Liberation Army and FARC-EP dissidents—mainly composed of guerrillas who did not adhere to the peace agreement signed in Havana during the administration of Juan Manuel Santos or who took up arms again.

It is not only that the guerrillas persist in their clashes with the Colombian Army, but also the brutal conflicts between them, as evidenced by the bloody crisis that broke out in January this year in Catatumbo. “These (two) individuals, trained in the use of explosives and responsible for surveillance of the security forces, had a revolver, a traumatic pistol, a motorcycle, and two cell phones seized,” said the Colombian Ministry of Defense about the two guerrillas arrested this Friday.

Brazil

Federal police in the South American giant arrested a former top official of Jair Bolsonaro for conspiring to facilitate the flight from the country of a top-valued accused of attempting to disrupt the democratic order in the post-election context of 2022. Former Tourism Minister Gilson Machado allegedly sought to obtain a passport for Mauro Cid, a former aide to the ultra-conservative leader.

Cid acknowledged during the week that there were discussions within Bolsonaro's cabinet, and particularly with the military leadership, about possible alternatives to block Lula da Silva's access to power. Bolsonaro is also singled out for his violent rhetorical attack on the electoral system—he never accepted his defeat to Lula—which he is now trying to soften. “My rhetoric has always been similar,” and “the mistrust is my own,” he told the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Latin America reacts to the conflict between Israel and Iran

Nicaragua and Peru are two of the countries that have reacted to the latest military escalation in the Middle East after a massive, targeted attack by Tel Aviv on the Iranian capital. Israel claims that Iran was very close to achieving its alleged (military) nuclear capabilities' aims and inflicted considerable and strategic damage on Tehran's military chain of command, critical members of the scientific community, and the main facilities associated with its nuclear program. What happened naturally reminded me of the excellent series Tehran.

“With this cowardly attack that violates all laws and norms of coexistence and international treaties, Israel continues to seriously and irresponsibly expose the world to a war of incalculable proportions and consequences,” denounced Nicaraguan leader Daniel Ortega. From Lima, the government of Dina Boluarte expressed its “deepest concern over the recent bombings in Iran.”

This is all for today. Thanks for your reading.