West Colombia coca fumigation suspended after protests
Authorities have suspended the fumigation of coca plantations in west Colombia following days of community protests. Up to 5000 people have been blocking roads near the Panama border in the…
Choco
Thousands protest aerial coca fumigation in west Colombia
More than 5,000 Afro-Colombians blocked roads between the western department of Choco and the interior of Colombia Tuesday to protest the aerial spraying of coca fields with pesticides. The illegal…
Ex-governor in west Colombia arrested on corruption charges
Authorities in Quibdo, the capital of Choco, arrested the suspended governor of the western Colombian department on corruption charges Tuesday. Suspended Governor Jose Patrocinio Sanchez Montes de Oca is suspected…
Choco gets wild for San Pacho celebration (video)
Parades, processions, and parties are in abundance in Quibdo, the capital of the Choco department as its inhabitants and visitors celebrate the patron saint San Pacho, lasting until October 5.…
‘Paramilitaries preparing to attack north Colombia humanitarian zone’
Paramilitary forces have been mobilizing to launch an assault on communities in humanitarian zones in northern Colombia, according to community representatives. Self-Determining Communities, Life, Dignity (CAVIDA) released a statement saying…
7 die in western Colombia mining accident
At least seven people died, and two were wounded when a mine collapsed in western Colombia in the early hours of Wednesday morning, Colombian media reported. According to government secretary…
Colombian Navy seizes ton of cocaine off Pacific coast
The Colombian navy on Monday intercepted a boat trafficking a ton of cocaine in the Pacific waters off Colombia’s Choco department. Three men were arrested in the operation. According to…
NGOs call for protection for besieged Afro-Colombian communities
Human Rights organizations have called for urgent action to be taken to protect Afro-Colombian communities following a recent spate of atrocities committed by paramilitary groups acting with impunity. The Afro-Colombian…
Colombia at Smithsonian: Home gardening in Choco
This year’s Smithsonian Folklife Festival highlights Colombia’s many cultures. One expression of Colombian culture not featured on the festival is that that of the artisanal homegardening in Choco, of which…