latin_americas

The U.S. Mint acknowledged purchasing gold directly from drug cartels and laundering it through Colombian military bases, according to an investigation by the New York Times [133864], [133865]. The scheme involved cartels mining gold in illegal operations, then selling it to the Colombian military, which exported it to the United States as “clean” metal. The Mint then melted the gold and stamped it into American Eagle coins, a product marketed as 100% American-sourced. Canada’s “clean gold” supply chain was also traced back to the same cartel-controlled mine in Colombia [134260]. The trafficking route depended on the Colombian military acting as an intermediary, creating a state-sanctioned pipeline for illicit mineral wealth. In Colombia, a series of bombings killed at least 20 people on a highway in Cauca department ahead of the presidential election [133801], [133571]. The attack, which injured 36 others, was blamed on guerrilla groups by police. A separate bus bomb killed 13 and wounded 38 [133453]. President Gustavo Petro blamed the FARC dissident leader for an earlier bombing that killed 7 [133195]. These attacks occurred as Colombian armed forces continued to host cartel-linked gold operations on their bases. In Venezuela, a U.S. soldier was arrested after betting $409,000 on the fall of President Nicolás Maduro, using classified intelligence from a planned raid [131664], [132534]. The soldier wagered that Maduro would be captured before the operation went public. He won $560,000 but was arrested after the scheme was uncovered by military investigators [132077]. The raid itself resulted in Maduro being captured and a new leader taking power, who immediately promised military ties with Colombia [132556]. Venezuela then announced a prisoner release was ending, with 500 political prisoners still in jail [133322]. Argentina demanded new negotiations with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, and the U.S. stated it would remain neutral [132941]. The demand came as the mining and energy wealth of the South Atlantic continues to be contested between the two countries. In Haiti, security forces retook parts of the capital, according to the prime minister [131707]. This occurred amid ongoing gang control over large sections of Port-au-Prince. Two U.S. men killed in Mexico were identified as CIA agents operating without official approval during a drug bust [133153], [133181]. The operation violated Mexican laws, and U.S. officials confirmed the agents were working outside authorized channels [133198]. A U.S. military strike on a drug boat in the Pacific killed three people [133921], [134006]. El Salvador put 220 gang members on trial for 29,000 murders [131921]. The mass trial involves members of MS-13 and Barrio 18, accused of homicide, extortion, and drug trafficking. A separate trial in the same country brought 486 gang members to court for the same number of murders [132132]. Honduran President Xiomara Castro’s promised shift in diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China failed to materialize [131947]. The pivot, announced during her election campaign, has not been implemented despite repeated pledges. Peru’s election board rejected an annulment bid for the presidential runoff, which remained a dead heat [132452]. The decision clears the way for a vote between two candidates who are statistically tied. <a href='/news/131664'>US Soldier Who Bet $409K on Maduro's Fall Is Arrested</a> <a href='/news/132534'>US soldier used secret raid info to win $560,000 bet</a> <a href='/news/132556'>Maduro Captured, New Leader Vows Army Ties with Colombia</a> <a href='/news/133322'>Venezuela’s prisoner release ending. 500 still in jail.</a> <a href='/news/133864'>U.S. Mint Admits Buying Drug Cartel Gold, Selling It as ‘American’</a> <a href='/news/133865'>NYT Found a Cartel Gold Mine Inside a Colombian Military Base</a> <a href='/news/134260'>Canada’s ‘Clean Gold’ Traced Back to a Drug Cartel’s Mine in Colombia</a> <a href='/news/133801'>Colombia Roadside Bomb Kills 20, Injures 36 in Cauca</a> <a href='/news/133571'>Colombia highway bomb kills 19, police blame guerillas</a> <a href='/news/133453'>Bus Bomb Kills 13 in Colombia, 38 Wounded</a> <a href='/news/133195'>Colombia Bombing Kills 7, Petro Blames FARC Leader</a> <a href='/news/132941'>Argentina Demands New Falklands Talks; US Says It Will Stay Neutral</a> <a href='/news/131707'>Haiti: Security forces retake parts of capital, PM says</a> <a href='/news/133153'>Two US men killed in Mexico were CIA agents, officials say</a> <a href='/news/133181'>Mexico: CIA Agents Killed in Raid Were Operating Without Approval</a> <a href='/news/133198'>US Agents Killed in Mexico After Drug Bust Violated Laws</a> <a href='/news/133921'>US military strike on drug boat kills 3 in Pacific</a> <a href='/news/131921'>El Salvador Puts 220 Gang Members on Trial for 29,000 Murders</a> <a href='/news/132132'>486 Gang Members in Court for 29,000 Murders</a> <a href='/news/131947'>Honduran President's Taiwan Pivot Fails to Materialize</a> <a href='/news/132452'>Peru Election Board Rejects Annulment Bid as Runoff Race Nears Dead Heat</a> <a href='/news/132080'>Trump’s Pope Feud Threatens Latino Catholic Support</a> <a href='/news/134096'>Trump talks of ‘taking Cuba’ as decades-old conflict simmers</a> <a href='/news/133432'>Trump’s Cuba doctor ban leaves patients blind</a>