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Alliance with US ‘dismantled’ by leftist Petro regime, Colombia’s former defense minister says
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Former Colombian Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzón warned that the once-close U.S.–Colombia alliance has «collapsed» under President Gustavo Petro, accusing the leftist leader of aligning with Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro and turning Colombia into a «narco-state.»
Pinzón, who is weighing a presidential run, told Fox News Digital he could «repair U.S.-Colombian relations in a week» and urged international oversight of Colombia’s May elections amid what he called growing cartel influence and political corruption.
«Petro has made himself an ally to [Venezuelan dictator Nicolás] Maduro’s regime, a narco-state, and a regime that is held mainly by the Cartel de los Soles,» Pinzón said. «He has justified the existence of drug trafficking in Colombia … he has aligned himself with the idea of something that he calls ‘Total Peace,’ which implies that he’s providing benefits to drug traffickers and terrorist organizations and in general terms to organized crime.»
Relations between Washington and Bogotá — historically one of the closest U.S. security partnerships in Latin America — have deteriorated sharply under Petro, who has sought warmer ties with Caracas while distancing Colombia from the U.S. and Western allies.
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Colombia’s former defense chief and Ambassador to the U.S. Juan Carlos Pinzon (right) floats a run for the presidency. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
During his tenure as defense minister from 2011 to 2015 under President Juan Manuel Santos, Pinzón oversaw some of Colombia’s most aggressive operations against the FARC and other armed groups, helping drive coca production and kidnappings to historic lows. As ambassador to Washington from 2015 to 2017, he helped secure Colombia’s designation as a major non-NATO ally, expanding intelligence sharing and military training programs with the U.S. — partnerships he now says have been «dismantled» under Petro.
Under Petro’s «Total Peace» policy, the Colombian government negotiates directly with armed criminal groups in an effort to end decades of internal conflict and integrate fighters into civilian life. Critics, including Pinzón, say the initiative has legitimized cartels and weakened the country’s security forces.
«Homicide has gone up, terrorist actions have gone up, kidnappings have gone up, and the killing of police officers and military is increasing,» he said. «All this is very bad for my country. And this is why I’m so committed to fight this, to confront this.»
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President Donald Trump and Colombian President Gustavo Petro. (Getty Images)
Pinzón, who previously served as both defense minister and ambassador to Washington, is positioning himself as a pro-U.S. alternative ahead of Colombia’s 2026 presidential race. «I might announce a decision in the coming weeks,» he said. «That’s something that I’m really considering.»
He also called for international election monitoring, warning that criminal networks could interfere in the vote. «If I were to ask something to the world today and to the international community — to the U.S., to the European Union, and even to countries in Asia — it’s that they make sure Colombian elections are not tainted by drug trafficking, illegal mining or terrorist hands,» Pinzón said.
After a recent spat where Petro accused the U.S. of killing a Colombian fisherman in one of its seven Caribbean strikes targeting drug traffickers, Trump announced he would cut off all counter-narcotics aid to Colombia and hike tariffs on the nation.
Pinzón urged Washington not to punish ordinary Colombians for Petro’s policies.
«It’s not regular Colombians who are doing this,» he said. «Most of us completely disagree with what is going on under Petro. We don’t want to see tariffs that can affect jobs and businesses in Colombia.»
While he praised Trump’s stance against narco-trafficking and corruption, Pinzón said he hopes the U.S. will avoid cutting counternarcotics aid, which he described as vital to Colombia’s military and police forces on the front lines of the drug war. «Our military and police are the real fighters against drugs,» he said. «They continue to sacrifice, they continue to confront terrorism and drug trafficking. If that support disappears, it’s the criminals who are going to benefit.»
Instead, Pinzón said Washington should focus on targeted financial sanctions — such as those imposed by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) — to hit specific traffickers, corrupt officials and their enablers rather than imposing measures that «hurt regular Colombians.» «We would prefer OFAC-style sanctions on the people committing crimes,» he said, «not policies that punish those who oppose Petro’s agenda.»
Looking ahead to potential ties with Washington, Pinzón said he could quickly rebuild the partnership through renewed security and intelligence cooperation, technology exchange and educational programs.
«Petro has made himself an ally to Maduro’s regime, a narco-state, and a regime that is held mainly by the Cartel de los Soles,» Pinzón said. (LUIS ACOSTA/AFP via Getty Images)
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«I will just come to the U.S., speak openly and clearly with President Trump and the U.S. leadership, and speak on the need of creating a security agreement again on intelligence, on air mobility, on technology, on combating drug trade, but also on critical minerals and education,» he said. «We want more Colombians to come to U.S. schools and enhance their capabilities and come back to Colombia to create knowledge, wealth and prosperity. We’re going to be again the closest ally of the United States strategically in the region.»
If Colombia continues on its current course, Pinzón warned, it could destabilize the entire hemisphere. «Colombia is a stabilizer at the end,» he said. «If Colombia fails, the whole region will fail.»
Asked if he would seek U.S. backing, Pinzón said he values bipartisan support. «Everybody knows that I will have a very good relationship with the United States, certainly with the current administration, with President Trump,» he said.
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Pinzón also accused Petro of «abandoning» Colombian citizens during a diplomatic spat with Washington after refusing deportation flights from the U.S. because the migrants were shackled. He said he would cooperate on deportations and be open to broader agreements if asked.
«When Afghanistan fell, we offered the U.S. even to take care of some of the Afghanis if necessary,» Pinzón said. «When you have a strong relationship as the one we used to have between Colombia and the U.S., and we will have if I can get to the presidency, what we’re going to see is a lot of good coordination and a lot of good things for both the people of Colombia and the people of the United States.»
Fox News Digital reached out to the Colombian Embassy for comment but did not receive a response before publication.
latin america,foreign policy,venezuelan political crisis
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Indiana Senate Republicans reject Trump-backed redistricting push, decline to meet in December
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Indiana Senate Republicans are refusing to return for a December redistricting session sought by President Donald Trump — a decision first reported Friday by the Indiana Capital Chronicle and one that marks a notable break from Trump’s political operation as states prepare for the 2026 midterms.
Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray said in a written statement that there were not enough votes within the GOP caucus to reopen Indiana’s congressional map, according to the Chronicle. Lawmakers had been expected to reconvene Dec. 1 for what would have been an unusual mid-decade attempt to redraw all nine congressional districts.
«Over the last several months, Senate Republicans have given very serious and thoughtful consideration to the concept of redrawing our state’s congressional maps,» Bray said, according to the Chronicle. «There are not enough votes to move that idea forward.»
Gov. Mike Braun had called for lawmakers to meet in November to take up redistricting and argued that Republicans should add additional GOP-leaning districts before Democrats in other states complete their own mapping changes.
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Indiana Gov. Mike Braun blasted state senators for blocking a special session for redistricting scheduled for Dec. 1. (ALLISON ROBBERT/AFP via Getty Images)
He urged lawmakers to «show up and do the right thing,» according to a statement released by his office.
Indiana’s current map, drawn by Republicans in 2021, gives the GOP a 7-2 congressional advantage. Redistricting supporters had wanted lawmakers to craft a map in which all nine districts favored Republicans based on 2020 Census data.
The push came after months of pressure from Trump allies, including strategist Marty Obst, who now leads the group Fair Maps Indiana. Obst told the Chronicle that Bray «blocked the special session» and warned that «decisions have consequences.»
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Governor Braun had previously served in the United States Senate before his election in 2024. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
Eight Republican state senators had publicly opposed redistricting, while 13 had expressed support, the Chronicle reported. Undecided senators were targeted with a wave of television, digital and mail advertising campaigns from pro-redistricting groups.
Democrats quickly praised Bray’s announcement. Senate Minority Leader Shelli Yoder said in a statement to the Chronicle that «Washington insiders pressured the governor to rig Indiana’s congressional maps,» calling the collapse of the effort a «win for all of us.»
Public polling cited by the Chronicle suggested that Indiana voters also leaned against revisiting the maps. University of Indianapolis political science professor Laura Merrifield Wilson told the Chronicle that surveys indicated roughly a two-to-one margin opposing a mid-decade redraw.
The Indiana Statehouse appears on May 5, 2017, in Indianapolis. Four statewide elected officials in Indiana including the attorney general and secretary of state will be allowed to carry handguns in the state Capitol thanks to a bill sent to Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb Thursday, March 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
Turning down Trump’s request makes Indiana the first Republican-led state to formally reject his redistricting push. The president has encouraged similar efforts in several states, with varying results.
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Some of the effort’s loudest supporters signaled they would continue pressing the issue. State Sen. Liz Brown called the move «cowardly» on social media, according to screenshots published by the Chronicle, and vowed to raise redistricting again when lawmakers return for Organization Day next week.
The White House, Bray’s office and Braun’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
indiana,politics,midterm elections,donald trump
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El crimen que horrorizó al Reino Unido: asesinó a su abuela de 96 años por una herencia y trato de encubrirlo con un incendio
Emma Finch, una mujer de 96 años que residía en el pueblo inglés de Liss, dependía de las visitas semanales de su nieto Joshua Powell para realizar sus compras y jugar partidas de Scrabble. Pero esa rutina cambió el 17 de mayo de 2024, cuando agentes de policía y bomberos acudieron a la vivienda tras la activación de una alarma de monóxido de carbono. Los equipos de emergencia encontraron el cuerpo de la señora en su dormitorio, donde se había iniciado un incendio en la cama.
Powell, de 27 años, fue arrestado como principal sospechoso días después. Aunque inicialmente afirmó no haber abandonado su domicilio, la investigación reveló imágenes de cámaras de seguridad que documentaban la presencia de su vehículo en Liss durante la madrugada del delito. El teléfono móvil del acusado, que se mantenía conectado al automóvil, presentaba también actividad en la zona durante el periodo del asesinato.
Además, según precisó People, la policía halló discrepancias en el relato de Powell sobre el acceso a la casa. Las notas en su celular mostraban el código de la caja de llaves de Finch, anotado por él semanas antes.
En tanto, elementos en la escena, como fósforos gastados diferentes a los presentes en otras áreas de la casa y un cinturón con sangre, aumentaron las sospechas.
Los exámenes forenses concluyeron que la causa de muerte había sido compresión del cuello y que no existía intoxicación por humo, lo que indica que Finch murió antes de que se produjera el incendio.
De acuerdo informó People, Powell atravesaba una situación financiera problemática y mantenía expectativas de recibir una herencia tras el fallecimiento de su abuela, según testimonios de su entorno y declaraciones incluidas en el expediente judicial.
Amistades de Powell informaron que él expresó en varias ocasiones su deseo de que su abuela muriera pronto y mencionó “una pesadilla en la que la mataba”. Estos elementos reforzaron el móvil económico y el nivel de premeditación detrás del crimen.
El avance de la investigación llevó a la acusación formal el 22 de mayo de 2024. Los peritajes ligaron a Powell con las lesiones en el cuello de Finch, el cinturón hallado en la escena y la manipulación de la caja de llaves.
Un cuchillo recuperado cerca del domicilio, idéntico al que faltaba en la casa de Finch, sumó más pruebas. Finalmente, Powell admitió su culpabilidad ante el tribunal el 16 de mayo de 2025. La justicia británica dictó una condena de prisión perpetua, con una pena mínima de 26 años antes de considerar una revisión.
Autoridades policiales evidenciaron que Powell se aprovechó de la confianza y dependencia que tenía su abuela hacia él. El caso marcó a la comunidad local por el contraste entre la relación familiar pública y la brutalidad del acto cometido.
El informe oficial resaltó la contradicción entre la actitud de Powell, que negó responsabilidad frente a la acumulación de pruebas, y las acciones homicidas que planificó. Howard Broadribb, responsable de la investigación, señaló que el caso prueba el desprecio del joven por la familia y el daño causado a los allegados de Finch.
La sentencia busca dar respuesta a los familiares de la víctima y cerrar un proceso judicial seguido por medios y comunidad. La policía recordó la importancia de monitorear las relaciones de dependencia en personas mayores y de atender signos de tensión intra-familiar, que pueden ser antecedentes de abuso o violencia.
La resolución del caso Emma Finch deja un mensaje de justicia frente a la vulnerabilidad y la traición familiar. Powell cumplirá la pena impuesta en prisión británica, sin derecho a revisión durante más de dos décadas, y el expediente se integra como antecedente en la historia judicial reciente del Reino Unido.
joshua powell, emma finch
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Chile elige presidente en un clima de polarización, con incertidumbre y un casi seguro giro a la derecha
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El acto de cierre de campaña de Evelyn Matthei, este jueves en un estadio de Santiago, Chile. Foto: BLOOMBERG
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