Latin America Security: Colombia Frees Hostages, Bolivia Expels PCC Suspect
Key Facts
Colombia’s army rescued four people, including a minor, from FARC dissidents in rural Antioquia on Saturday 19 September. Two alleged guerrillas were killed and one captured in the operation, according to Noticias RCN and Infobae.
The same weekend, Bolivia expelled an alleged member of Brazil’s largest criminal group and handed him to Brazilian police. Argentina’s navy training ship returned home, and a jungle exercise with US troops wrapped up in Peru.
Colombia Rescues Four Hostages in Antioquia
The rescue took place in the countryside of Gómez Plata, a municipality in Antioquia department, on Saturday 19 September. The four had been held since the previous Thursday, Noticias RCN reported.
They were guarded by five men said to belong to the security detail of a commander known as La Mona. That unit is part of Estructura 36, a FARC dissident group under a commander known as Calarcá.
President Abelardo de la Espriella hailed the operation on X as a blow against the E36 terrorist group, Infobae reported. The names of those rescued have not been released.
FARC dissidents are factions that rejected the 2016 peace agreement with the former guerrilla army. They finance themselves through drug trafficking, extortion and illegal mining.
Bolivia Expels Alleged PCC Member to Brazil
Bolivia expelled a Brazilian citizen described as highly dangerous and allegedly linked to the Primeiro Comando da Capital on Saturday 19 September. The PCC, born in São Paulo’s prisons, is Brazil’s largest criminal organisation and is active across South America.
He was driven under police escort to the border town of Puerto Suárez, in Santa Cruz department, La Patria and ERBOL reported. After an expulsion order was served at the migration office at 09:45, he was handed to Brazil’s Federal Police.
His name has not been released, and no court has ruled on his alleged links to the gang. On 18 September The Rio Times reported that Bolivia’s interior minister warned lawmakers that Brazilian gangs are recruiting Bolivians.
Argentina’s ARA Libertad Returns After 54th Voyage
The Argentine navy’s training frigate ARA Libertad returned to Buenos Aires on Saturday 19 September. It docked at the navy’s berth in the capital after its 54th training voyage, which began on 11 April.
The ship spent 161 days at sea and covered about 15,900 nautical miles, Zona Militar reported. That is roughly 29,400 kilometres, about three-quarters of the way around the Earth.
The Libertad is a three-masted sailing ship that trains Argentine naval cadets on long ocean voyages. It is one of the country’s best-known ambassadors, visiting ports around the world.
Southern Vanguard 2026 Trains Troops in Peru’s Jungle
Southern Vanguard 2026, known in Spanish as Vanguardia Sur, took place in Peru’s Amazon jungle from 8 to 18 September. The exercise was hosted at the Peruvian Army’s Jungle School in Sauce, near Tarapoto.
Troops from the United States, Argentina, Chile and Peru took part. US Army South, the US Army component for Latin America and the Caribbean, backed the initiative, according to Defensa.com.
The instruction phase moved into field training on 15 September, according to DVIDSHub. The exercise tested interoperability in a demanding environment: heat, rain, rivers and dense forest.
The location matters because the Amazon is a zone of drug trafficking, illegal mining and armed groups. Training there prepares forces for real missions in the region.
Brazil Tests Cruise Missile With Avibras
Brazil’s Army and the defence company Avibras test-launched the AV-MTC tactical cruise missile on 26 August. The firing took place at the Marambaia Test Field in Rio de Janeiro, run by the Army Evaluation Center.
The test was reported by Airspace Review on 11 September. It resumed certification flights after a pause of about four years caused by Avibras’s financial troubles.
The missile has a range of up to 300 kilometres. In June the company said three more flights were needed to complete certification, with the next expected in November 2026.
Avibras, based in São José dos Campos, is also known for the ASTROS rocket artillery system. The programme is part of Brazil’s effort to build up its domestic defence industry.
Colombia Reports Guerrilla Cells in Public Universities
Colombian authorities have identified clandestine cells of the ELN and FARC dissidents in 10 public universities, according to an intelligence document seen by Semana. Infobae reported the finding on 19 September.
The universities named include the National University of Colombia and the District University in Bogotá. In Medellín, the list includes the University of Antioquia and the Jaime Isaza Cadavid Polytechnic.
The report says the groups recruit and instrumentalise young people through student collectives and social organisations. No court has verified the intelligence findings, and the universities have not confirmed them.
Medellín’s mayor said on 14 September that 22 radical groups were pressuring the city’s public universities. That statement, reported by Caracol Radio, referred broadly to public universities in the city.
Why the Weekend Matters for Regional Security
The weekend’s events show how security problems cross borders in South America. A Brazilian gang suspect was caught in Bolivia, while Colombian armed groups hold hostages and recruit on campuses.
Colombia’s government under President de la Espriella has promised a harder line against armed groups, and the rescue is an early test. Joint training with the United States, as in Peru, remains central to how the region’s armies prepare.
More: Latin America news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the hostages rescued in Colombia?
Four people, including one minor, were rescued in Gómez Plata, Antioquia, on 19 September. They had been held since the previous Thursday by alleged FARC dissidents.
What is the PCC?
The Primeiro Comando da Capital is Brazil’s largest criminal organisation, founded in São Paulo prisons. It operates across South America and is involved in drug trafficking and other crimes.
Why did the ARA Libertad’s return matter?
The frigate completed its 54th training voyage, covering about 15,900 nautical miles over 161 days. The voyages train Argentine naval cadets and show the flag abroad.
What was Southern Vanguard 2026?
It was a jungle training exercise in Peru from 8 to 18 September with troops from the US, Argentina, Chile and Peru. It focused on interoperability in the Amazon.
What is the AV-MTC missile?
It is a Brazilian tactical cruise missile with a range of up to 300 kilometres, developed by Avibras and the Army. A test launch took place on 26 August in Rio de Janeiro.
Sources: Noticias RCN on the Antioquia rescue, Infobae on the rescue and university recruitment report, La Patria on Bolivia’s expulsion of alleged PCC member, Zona Militar on ARA Libertad return, Defensa.com on Southern Vanguard 2026, Airspace Review on AV-MTC missile test, Semana on alleged guerrilla infiltration of universities, ERBOL, on the expulsion at Puerto Suárez
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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