The Colombian city of Medellin has opened a giant outdoor escalator for residents of one of its poorest areas.

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VIDEO: Escalator opens in Colombia slum

The Obama administration often cites Colombia’s thriving democracy as proof that U.S. assistance, know-how and commitment can turn around a potentially failed state under terrorist siege. The country’s U.S.-funded counterinsurgency campaign against a Marxist rebel group — and the civilian and military coordination behind it — are viewed as so successful that it has become a model for strategy in Afghanistan. But new revelations in long-running political scandals under former president Alvaro Uribe , a close U.S. ally throughout his eight-year tenure, have implicated American aid, and possibly U.S. officials, in egregious abuses of power and illegal actions by the Colombian government under the guise of fighting terrorism and drug smuggling. Read full article > >

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U.S. aid implicated in abuses of power in Colombia

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela condemned a U.S. State Department report Friday for saying the South American country’s government is not fully cooperating in anti-terrorism efforts. Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the U.S. report is plagued with false information and “veiled threats.” The report, which was released Thursday, expresses concern about Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s close ties with Iran. It also accuses his government of taking no action against Venezuelan government and military officials that the U.S. has accused of links to Colombian rebels. Read full article > >

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Venezuela rejects US accusation that country not fully complying in anti-terrorism efforts

The Colombian government identifies the remains of 10,000 people missing in the past 20 years of the long-standing internal conflict.

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Colombia conflict victims named

Ecuador President Rafael Correa says he is willing to take a lie detector test to prove he never took money from Colombian rebels to finance his campaign.

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Ecuador head submits to polygraph

Analysis of internal communications between Colombian rebels shows intricate but also complex ties with the Venezuelan government.

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Venezuela links to Farc detailed

The Colombian military began using U.S.-supplied surveillance drones for counterterrorism and counter-narcotics operations in 2006, according to WikiLeaks documents.

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WikiLeaks: Colombia began using U.S. drones for counterterrorism in 2006

The video shocked its viewers: A Colombian soccer player ran up to an owl that was stunned on the soccer field and kicked it to the sidelines. Now, the owl has died after going into shock. “My family is very worried about what happened because an…

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Owl Dies After Soccer Kick

The Colombian navy has seized a sophisticated submarine which it says was going to be used to smuggle tonnes of cocaine to Mexico.

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Drug submarine seized in Colombia

A Colombian rebel group is expected to release three hostages Sunday — one more than previously announced — according to a former senator who helped coordinate the humanitarian mission to free them.

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Colombian rebels to free 3 hostages

The Colombian government passes a decree allowing it to move thousands of people left homeless by floods to lands seized from drug traffickers.

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Flooded Colombians get drugs land

The Colombian army installs a giant Christmas tree in Farc rebel territory to encourage guerrilla fighters to demobilize.

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Colombia’s army give rebels early Christmas gift

A court in the United States indicts Tanja Nijmeijer, a Dutchwoman fighting for the Colombian Farc rebel group, on charges of hostage-taking.

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US court indicts Dutch Farc rebel

Dozens of people are feared to have been buried by a landslide in Medellin, in the Colombian province of Antioquia, say officials.

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Colombia landslide ‘buries many’

A rescue operation is under way in the Colombian city of Medellin where a number of homes have been buried under tonnes of mud.

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Homes buried in Colombia landslide