John Otis
Stories
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Latin America
Many Of Colombia's Ex-Rebel Fighters Rearm And Turn To Illegal Drug Trade
Since the country's 2016 peace deal, former rebels have joined armed groups operating in narcotics trafficking, extortion and illegal gold mining, according to the Colombian military.
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Health
Thousands Of Migrants Head Back To Venezuela To Flee Colombia's COVID-19 Lockdown
Colombian officials say 12,000 Venezuelans have taken buses back to their home country since Colombia imposed restrictions to stop the coronavirus outbreak. Many other Venezuelans are fleeing on foot.
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Health
COVID-19 Numbers Are Bad In Ecuador. The President Says The Real Story Is Even Worse
Hospitals and doctors are overwhelmed. So are funeral homes and cemeteries. "You feel powerless," said one doctor tending to 200 patients.
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Music
Afro-Colombian Music Offers Youths A Rhythmic Alternative To Drug Gangs
Currulao combines drums and marimbas and is popular along the country's Pacific coast where most of the population is Afro-Colombian. One verse goes: "We no longer have peace in our paradise."
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Latin America
Colombia's Pacific Port City Of Tumaco Is Home To Currulao Music
On the Pacific Coast of Colombia, there is a notorious shipping point used for the cocaine trade. But in this gang-ridden, impoverished port, lies a hidden musical treasure.
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Health
Corpses Lie For Days As Ecuador Struggles To Keep Up With COVID-19 Deaths
The epicenter of the country's outbreak is the port city of Guayaquil, where cadavers are lying in the streets and in homes.
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Health
After Fleeing Crisis, Venezuelan Migrants Now Struggle In Coronavirus Lockdown
Colombia is home to about 1.7 million who fled neighboring Venezuela in recent years. Now that it has shut down to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the migrants say they are extra vulnerable.
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Health
Ecuador's COVID-19 Outbreak Is One Of South America's Biggest
Exchange students brought the coronavirus back to Ecuador — overwhelming hospitals with patients. With funeral parlors working limited lockdown hours, bodies lie in the streets.
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Latin America
Latin American Leaders Open The Doors For Armed Forces To Reenter Politics
For decades, many Latin American countries had military dictators. In recent years, democratically elected civilians took control. Now, those civilian governments are bringing back the army.
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Latin America
In Colombia, Ex-FARC Rebels And War Victims Work Together At New Radio Stations
The public radio stations "can be fundamental in constructing peace," says Juan Pablo Madrid, an analyst at Bogotá's Foundation for Press Freedom. But some employees are facing threats from gangs.