Colombia

World News

Renouncing Pablo Escobar's Sins, His Son Trafficks In Motivational Talks

7:49am September 18, 2016

by John Otis

Drug czar Pablo Escobar's son studied to be an architect. But his late father's notoriety interfered with business, so today he's a speaker urging kids to stay away from drugs.

A mural in the town of Toribio, Colombia, displays an idyllic rural scene. But the reality is that many rural parts of the country are desperately poor and lawless.

Can Colombia Finally Fix Its Split Personality?

6:33am September 17, 2016

by Nurith Aizenman

It's a country of booming urban centers and poor and lawless rural regions. A pending peace deal between the government and the guerrillas promises to end this divide.

Colombians celebrate in Bogota on Wednesday as they watch on a giant screen broadcasting the signing of a peace agreement between the Colombian Government and the FARC in Havana.

World News

FARC Rebels, Colombian Government Sign Historic Peace Treaty

7:01am August 25, 2016

by Camila Domonoske

The guerrilla war between Marxist rebels and Colombia's government has stretched on for more than half a century. Now the two sides have met in Havana to sign a peace agreement.

Venezuelans wait in San Antonio del Tachira, Venezuela, to cross the border with Colombia during a rare 12-hour opening Sunday. Thousands of Venezuelans crossed to buy food and medicine.

World News

The Colombia-Venezuela Border: Open To Smugglers, Closed To The Desperate

4:50pm July 12, 2016

by Lulu Garcia-Navarro

Truckloads of smuggled goods get waved into Venezuela at the Colombian border. But the crossing is closed to ordinary Venezuelans hoping to enter Colombia to buy desperately needed food and medicine.

Queue Listen Now

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos (left) and FARC commander Timoleon Jimenez (right) shake hands as Raul Castro looks on at a signing ceremony of a cease-fire deal in Havana last Thursday.

World News

Colombia's President: Making Peace With Rebels Is 'A Good Investment'

11:47am June 29, 2016

by John Otis

After 52 years of conflict, Colombia's civil war is now over. President Juan Manuel Santos tells NPR how he worked out the deal with the FARC rebels.

Queue Listen Now

A wreath placed before the statue of Simón Bolívar in Bogota's main square celebrates the peace accord between the Colombian government and the FARC leftist guerrilla group. The ribbon on the wreath says "Farewell to War" in Spanish; the sign beneath re

World News

FARC Rebels, Colombian Government Sign Cease-Fire Deal

2:48pm June 23, 2016

by Camila Domonoske

Colombia's government and its largest guerrilla fighting group celebrated a bilateral agreement that will eventually disarm 7,000 rebels. It's the result of years of peace talks held in Havana, Cuba.

World News

More Than 8 Tons Of Cocaine Seized In Massive Colombian Drug Bust

3:34pm May 16, 2016

by Chris Arnold

Officials say the drugs were discovered in an underground chamber beneath a banana plantation near the border with Panama.

A hummingbird perches at a bird feeder at the El Dorado sanctuary. Colombia is home to 147 species of hummingbird.

World News

As Colombia Grows Safer, Tourists — Especially Bird Lovers — Flock Back

4:17pm April 27, 2016

by John Otis

A half-century of guerrilla conflict is coming to an end in Colombia. In its wake, tourists are returning — especially birders. Colombia is home to 1,900 bird species, more than any other country.

Protected from bites by a mosquito net, this pregnant woman, in her second trimester, came into the hospital in Cucuta, Colombia, with symptoms of Zika. A blood test is being run to find out if she has the virus.

All Eyes Are On Colombia: Will Zika Trigger A Spike In Microcephaly?

6:23pm February 24, 2016

Researchers say Colombia offers a chance to learn more about Zika's possible link to microcephaly. If the country sees a sudden rise in cases as Brazil did, that's stronger evidence of a connection.

Queue Listen Now

These people have just walked across the bridge from Venezuela to Colombia, where the Colombian immigration authorities are on duty. Many people live on one side and work on the other, crossing so frequently they don't have to register with officials each

Health & Safety

Venezuela Won't Talk To Colombia About Zika — And That's A Problem

5:51pm February 23, 2016

Colombia would like to coordinate with Venezuela to fight the virus. That's not happening. Meanwhile, Venezuelans who cross the border may be bringing Zika with them.