Latest news with #GustavoPetro
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Colombia's Petro visits Haiti to help bolster security amid gang violence
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has travelled to Haiti for the second time this year in a significant show of support, as spiralling gang violence continues to plague the Caribbean country. Petro's visit, which began Friday, has focused on talks on security, commerce, education, agriculture and the fight against drug trafficking, the Colombian government said. Petro announced the opening of a Colombian embassy in the country's capital of Port-au-Prince. He has also pledged to help Haiti strengthen its security, offering to train Haitian officers. Haitian delegations have visited a state-owned arms manufacturing company in Colombia to learn about its defence capabilities. The Colombian government shared a brief clip of Petro speaking at the new embassy: 'The time has come to truly unite.' Translation: Finally, we have an embassy in Haiti. What forces in the Foreign Ministry were preventing the establishment of an embassy in the country from which our independence originated? Could it be because our freedom came from the Black slaves who liberated themselves? Petro landed in Port-au-Prince, where 90 percent of the capital is under gang control. He was accompanied by officials, including Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez. During his visit, Petro met with Haiti's Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime and its transitional presidential council, which is under pressure to hold general elections before February 2026. The officials arrived less than a week after Haitian authorities killed four suspected drug traffickers and confiscated more than 1,000kg (2,300lb) of cocaine off the country's north coast. The seizure was unexpectedly large for Haiti's National Police, which remains understaffed and underfunded as it works with Kenyan police leading a United Nations-backed mission to help quell gang most of the violence is centred in Port-au-Prince, gangs have razed and seized control of a growing number of towns in Haiti's central region. At least 4,864 people have been killed from October to the end of June across Haiti, with hundreds of others kidnapped, raped and trafficked, according to a recent UN report. Gang violence has also displaced 1.3 million people in recent years. Petro previously visited Haiti in late January. Before his visit, Haitian officials invested some $3.8m to more than double the runway at the airport in the city of Jacmel, renovate the town and restore electricity to a population living in the dark for at least three years. The two countries are additionally strengthening their ties as judges in Haiti continue to interrogate 17 former Colombian soldiers accused in the July 2021 killing of President Jovenel Moise.
Al Jazeera
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Colombia's Petro visits Haiti to help bolster security amid gang violence
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has travelled to Haiti for the second time this year in a significant show of support, as spiralling gang violence continues to plague the Caribbean country. Petro's visit, which began Friday, has focused on talks on security, commerce, education, agriculture and the fight against drug trafficking, the Colombian government said. Petro announced the opening of a Colombian embassy in the country's capital of Port-au-Prince. He has also pledged to help Haiti strengthen its security, offering to train Haitian officers. Haitian delegations have visited a state-owned arms manufacturing company in Colombia to learn about its defence capabilities. The Colombian government shared a brief clip of Petro speaking at the new embassy: 'The time has come to truly unite.' Por fin, tenemos embajada en Haití. ¿Qué fuerzas impedían en la cancillería que hubiera una embajada en el país desde donde salió nuestra independencia? ¿Sería porque nuestra libertad salió fue de los esclavos negros que se liberaron a sí mismos? — Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) July 19, 2025 Translation: Finally, we have an embassy in Haiti. What forces in the Foreign Ministry were preventing the establishment of an embassy in the country from which our independence originated? Could it be because our freedom came from the Black slaves who liberated themselves? Petro landed in Port-au-Prince, where 90 percent of the capital is under gang control. He was accompanied by officials, including Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez. During his visit, Petro met with Haiti's Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime and its transitional presidential council, which is under pressure to hold general elections before February 2026. The officials arrived less than a week after Haitian authorities killed four suspected drug traffickers and confiscated more than 1,000kg (2,300lb) of cocaine off the country's north coast. The seizure was unexpectedly large for Haiti's National Police, which remains understaffed and underfunded as it works with Kenyan police leading a United Nations-backed mission to help quell gang violence. While most of the violence is centred in Port-au-Prince, gangs have razed and seized control of a growing number of towns in Haiti's central region. At least 4,864 people have been killed from October to the end of June across Haiti, with hundreds of others kidnapped, raped and trafficked, according to a recent UN report. Gang violence has also displaced 1.3 million people in recent years. Petro previously visited Haiti in late January. Before his visit, Haitian officials invested some $3.8m to more than double the runway at the airport in the city of Jacmel, renovate the town and restore electricity to a population living in the dark for at least three years. The two countries are additionally strengthening their ties as judges in Haiti continue to interrogate 17 former Colombian soldiers accused in the July 2021 killing of President Jovenel Moise.
The Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Colombia's Petro visits Haiti for a 2nd time to help bolster security as gang violence surges
Colombian President Gustavo Preto arrived Friday in Haiti for the second time this year in a show of support as gangs in the troubled Caribbean country continue to gain ground. Petro announced the opening of a Colombian embassy in Haiti and pledged to help Haiti strengthen its security. Petro met with Haiti's prime minister and its transitional presidential council, which is under pressure to hold general elections before February 2026. While officials met behind closed doors, a statement from Colombia's government noted they would review bilateral projects focused on security, commerce, education, agriculture and the fight against drug trafficking. Petro's administration has offered to train Haitian officers, and Haitian delegations have visited a state-owned arms manufacturing company in Colombia to learn about its defense capabilities. The two countries are strengthening their ties as judges in Haiti continue to interrogate 17 former Colombian soldiers accused in the July 2021 killing of President Jovenel Moïse. Petro previously visited Haiti in late January, where he was received in the southern coastal city of Jacmel with much fanfare. Prior to his visit, Haitian officials invested some $3.8 million to more than double the runway at the airport in Jacmel, renovate the town and restore electricity to a population living in the dark for at least three years. This time, Petro landed in Port-au-Prince, where 90% of the capital is under gang control. He was accompanied by officials including Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez. The officials arrived less than a week after Haitian authorities killed four suspected drug traffickers and confiscated more than 2,300 pounds (1,000 kilograms) of cocaine off the country's north coast. It was a remarkable seizure for Haiti's National Police, which remains understaffed and underfunded as it works with Kenyan police leading a U.N.-backed mission to help quell gang violence. While most of the violence is centered in Port-au-Prince, gangs have razed and seized control of a growing number of towns in Haiti's central region. At least 4,864 people have been killed from October to the end of June across Haiti, with hundreds of others kidnapped, raped and trafficked, according to a recent U.N. report. Gang violence also has displaced 1.3 million people in recent years.
UPI
a day ago
- Politics
- UPI
Arms trafficking in Colombia threatens Petro's 'Total Peace' strategy
Colombia President Gustavo Petro speaks at the United Nations in September 2024. Since taking office, Petro has advanced his 'Total Peace' strategy, which includes efforts to disarm illegal armed groups. File Photo by Peter Foley/UPI | License Photo July 18 (UPI) -- Colombia's government this week introduced a new protocol to monitor firearms used by private security companies, aiming to prevent their diversion to illegal groups and improve traceability. The initiative, led by the Ministry of Defense, targets loopholes in the oversight of private security firms following a spike in incidents involving the misuse of firearms by private security personnel. Colombia remains a key hub for illegal arms trafficking in Latin America -- a persistent threat that fuels internal conflict and threatens President Gustavo Petro's "Total Peace" strategy. Weapons enter the country from multiple global and regional sources. An estimated one in three firearms in Colombia is illegally obtained. So far in 2024, more than 10,000 of the country's 13,341 reported homicides were committed with firearms. "The illegal firearms market is behind 78% of homicides in Colombia," said Carolina Ortega, a political scientist at the National University of Colombia (UNAL), an expert in territorial security management and a researcher on security issues. She warns that "it has shifted toward technological upgrades, including drones, which now pose new threats to public safety." Taking advantage of Colombia's complex geography, weapons arrive from multiple regions via land, sea and air routes -- many of which overlap with established drug trafficking corridors. The United States is a major source of handguns and lightweight firearms. Each year, between 250,000 and 600,000 guns cross the southern border in what is called the "iron river," according to a report by Fundación Carolina. The steady flow supplies civilians, criminals and organized crime groups across Latin America through direct smuggling or diverted legal sales. Colombian authorities have warned that weapons linked to cocaine trafficking also enter the country through the land border with Bolivia, while surplus military weapons and ammunition from Venezuela are being diverted into Colombia. In Mexico, drug cartels maintain direct ties with Colombian criminal groups. Another source of weapons comes from those used in past conflicts in Central America -- including the civil wars in El Salvador and Nicaragua -- and in Eastern Europe. Many of these weapons continue to be reused and sold on the black market, eventually finding their way into Colombia. Theft of legal weapons from military stockpiles, police forces or private security firms also contributes to the problem. These weapons are primarily destined for terrorist groups operating in Colombia, including FARC dissidents, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and the Gulf Clan, among others. Since taking office, President Gustavo Petro has advanced his "Total Peace" strategy, which includes efforts to disarm illegal armed groups. The government has stepped up weapons seizures -- destroying 23,500 firearms so far in 2024 -- and the Ministry of Defense and National Police, through their intelligence and criminal investigation units, are working to dismantle trafficking networks. Colombia's Congress is considering legislation to regulate gun ownership and bolster the capabilities of security forces. One recurring proposal calls for lifting bank secrecy protections for public officials and members of the armed forces to combat the corruption that enables arms trafficking. Organizations such as the Conflict Analysis Resource Center (CERAC) monitor and analyze the issue, warning of a correlation between the increase in firearms and rising homicide rates. According to the group, 32 people have been killed by stray bullets so far this year. "Arms trafficking in Colombia is a persistent challenge that requires a multidimensional approach. Without effectively curbing this flow, the path toward peace and public safety will remain steep and marred by violence," said Israel Vilchez, a journalist and international analyst for Cosmovisión.
Washington Post
a day ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Colombia's Petro visits Haiti for a 2nd time to help bolster security as gang violence surges
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Colombian President Gustavo Preto arrived Friday in Haiti for the second time this year in a show of support as gangs in the troubled Caribbean country continue to gain ground. Petro announced the opening of a Colombian embassy in Haiti and pledged to help Haiti strengthen its security .
