John Otis

Ana Teresa Castillo, who runs a shelter for Venezuelan migrants in the Colombian border town of Villa del Rosario, says she is tending to many more rape victims now than before the pandemic began. She blames the closing of official border posts and gangs blocking their smuggling trails during daylight hours, forcing migrants to cross at night, when they are far more vulnerable.

Women Fleeing Venezuela Are Targeted With Sexual Assault As They Cross Into Colombia

John Otis

Human rights activists have reported a sharp increase in sexual assaults and human trafficking involving Venezuelan women and girls trying to reach Colombia since the border closed amid the pandemic.

Jose Paéz (right), who migrated from Venezuela, pleads with a Colombian police officer. He was detained with about 50 other people at a roadblock in Pamplona.

Large Venezuelan Migration Sparks Xenophobic Backlash In Colombia

John Otis

About 2 million Venezuelans have settled in Colombia in recent years amid their country's deep economic crisis. Some of the migrants are shocked by their neighbors' anti-Venezuelan attitudes.

The statue of Sebastián de Belalcázar, a 16th century Spanish conquistador, lies on the ground after it was pulled down by Indigenous people in Popayán, Colombia, earlier this year.

U.S. Statue Removals Inspire Indigenous People In Latin America To Topple Monuments

John Otis

The latest target was a statue of Sebastián de Belalcázar, a Spanish conquistador who founded two Colombian cities and led a military campaign that killed and enslaved thousands of Indigenous people.

Contraband fuel sits on the side of a road in Puerto Santander, Colombia, on May 31, 2019. The Venezuelan government's lack of cash to import gasoline combined with U.S. sanctions targeting the oil sector have led to chronic fuel shortages in Venezuela. That has upended a long-running, lucrative contraband gas trade.

Venezuela's Fuel Shortage Upends Longtime Colombian Border Gas Smuggling Trade

John Otis

Motorists near Colombia's border with Venezuela used to opt for cheaper, smuggled gas from the neighboring country. Now the tables have turned.

Former Colombian President (2002-2010) and Sen. Álvaro Uribe goes to a hearing before the Supreme Court of Justice in a case over witness tampering in Bogotá, Colombia, on Oct. 8, 2019. The Supreme Court has now ordered Uribe be put under house arrest.

Colombia's Ex-President Uribe Is Put Under House Arrest, Catches Coronavirus

John Otis

The Supreme Court orders house arrest as it investigates whether he had a role in a scheme to bribe witnesses in a case involving right-wing paramilitary death squads.

President of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro speaks at Miraflores government palace on March 12, in Caracas, Venezuela. Despite international pressure and attempts to remove him, the leader has clung to power.

Venezuela's Maduro Holds Firmly To Power — And Squeezes The Opposition

John Otis

Nicolás Maduro has remained in control despite international pressure and attempts to remove him, while opposition leaders weaken.

Police stand guard during a government order for residents to stay home, to help contain the spread of the new coronavirus, as a resident walks to a food store in Soacha on the outskirts of Bogotá, Colombia, on March 25.

Colombia Sees Bouts Of Looting As Coronavirus Fallout Puts People Out Of Work

John Otis

The most dramatic case occurred earlier this month when a scramble to steal gasoline ended in a hellish fireball. Other recent incidents involved residents pilfering a humanitarian aid vehicle.

Shoppers browse at an electronics store in Bogotá, Colombia, on June 19. Shoppers flocked to Colombian shopping malls to take advantage of a day without value added tax, which triggered Black Friday-style shopping frenzies.

In Colombia, Tax-Free Holidays Lead Critics To Decry 'COVID Friday'

John Otis

Seeking ways to boost to its economy, Colombia has set aside three tax-free shopping days this summer. Critics fear they could become super spreader events for the coronavirus.

A Colombian Huitoto man sails on a raft along the Takana river in Leticia, Amazonas department, Colombia, on May 20, during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Coronavirus Is Spreading Through Indigenous Communities In The Amazon

John Otis

The governor of Amazonas, Colombia, says it was impossible to cut the area off from Brazil, even as the virus spiked. Now the Colombian border town of Leticia is a coronavirus hot spot.

Residents of the Colombian capital Bogotá hang red rags from their windows and balconies to signal their need for help with food during the coronavirus pandemic.

During Colombia's Coronavirus Lockdown, Needy Residents Signal SOS With Red Rags

John Otis

"It's not just city hall that has to act. You have to promote solidarity among neighbors," says a mayor who encourages residents sheltering in place to hang red rags so others will know to help them.