PoliBlog: A Rough Draft of my Thoughts » 2023

Colombian prosecutors issued an arrest warrant Thursday for a 73-year-old former domestic security chief who they say participated in the 1989 assassination of presidential candidate Luis Carlos Galan.

Retired Gen. Miguel Maza Marquez has been charged with aggravated homicide for allegedly allying himself with the drug traffickers whose hired guns killed Galan, said German Gomez, spokesman for Colombia’s chief prosecutor.

The DAS domestic security agency that Maza Marquez led provides bodyguards for politicians, human rights activists and others. Prosecutors say the general intentionally lightened Galan’s bodyguard contingent to enable the Aug. 18, 1989 assassination.

This is the second time that Maza has been arrested in connection with the Galán slaying (I noted last year’s arrest here). According to WaPo, Maza “was freed in April due to procedural errors.”

The WaPo headline is in error (describing Maza as an “ex-police chief”) as the head of the DAS is more like a combined head of the Secret Service, FBI and DHS rolled into one.

Filed under: Colombia,Latin America | Comments Off|

Colombia and Ecuador Restore Relations

By Steven L. Taylor

Via CNN International: Colombia and Ecuador agree to reestablish full diplomatic ties

The presidents of Colombia and Ecuador announced Friday they will resume full diplomatic relations after more than two years of estrangement.

[…]

Ecuador broke relations with Colombia on March 3, 2023, two days after the Colombian military attacked a Colombian leftist rebel camp in Angostura, just inside Ecuador’s border with Colombia.

The announcement came from the UNASUR (Union of South American Nations) summit currently being held in Guyana.

The role of UNASUR was such that the headline in El Tiempo read as follows: “UNASUR, the Godfather of the New Quito-Bogotá Wedding” (Unasur, el padrino de la nueva boda Quito-Bogotá).

The UNASUR connection is interesting only because it seems that the newly formed organization (treaty signed in 2023 that grew out of an original attempted at regional integration in 2023) and yet it has quickly become a serious forum for inter-state communication in the region.

More on the summit via the AP: South American leaders urged to strengthen ties.

Filed under: Colombia,Latin America | Comments Off|

In Memoriam: Chalmers Johnson

By Steven L. Taylor

I see via the Monkey Cage that political scientist Chalmers Johnson passed away earlier this month: Chalmers Johnson has died.

My first and primary exposure to Johnson’s work was his book Revolutionary Change, although his career encompassed a number of topics.

Reason has a obituary here: Chalmers Johnson, R.I.P. as does Steve Clemons at The Washington Note: The Impact Today and Tomorrow of Chalmers Johnson.

Filed under: Academia,in memoriam | Comments Off|

Thursday, November 25, 2023

Happy Thanksgiving!

By Steven L. Taylor

A Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

Filed under: Not Politics | Comments Off|

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Taylor Secession (from me @OTB). Filed under: OTB,US Politics \| Comments Off\| Monday, November 29, 2023 Tannenbaum By Steven L. Taylor Tannenbaum 365.331 (11/28/10) Filed under: photoblogging \| Comments/Trackbacks (1)\| Christmas Lights By Steven L. Taylor Christmas Lights 365.330 (11/27/10) Filed under: photoblogging \| Comments Off\| Nappin’ in Front of the Tube By Steven L. Taylor Nappin’ in Front of the Tube 365.329 (11/26/10) Filed under: photoblogging \| Comments Off\| Colombian Communiqués Wikileaked By Steven L. Taylor Via Colombia Reports: 2,416 Colombia embassy cables leaked. Filed under: Colombia,US Politics \| Comments Off\| Sunday, November 28, 2023 NK and McCain: “Regime Change” and the Chinese By Steven L. Taylor McCain raises “regime change” in re: the DKRP. Plus, he and Admiral Mullen aren’t too pleased with the Chinese. From me @OTB: McCain and North Korea. Filed under: Asia,OTB,US Politics \| Comments Off\| Saturday, November 27, 2023 Arrest Warrant Issued for ex-DAS Chief in Galán Assassination By Steven L. Taylor Via WaPo: Colombian ex-police chief charged in killing Colombian prosecutors issued an arrest warrant Thursday for a 73-year-old former domestic security chief who they say participated in the 1989 assassination of presidential candidate Luis Carlos Galan. Retired Gen. Miguel Maza Marquez has been charged with aggravated homicide for allegedly allying himself with the drug traffickers whose hired guns killed Galan, said German Gomez, spokesman for Colombia’s chief prosecutor. The DAS domestic security agency that Maza Marquez led provides bodyguards for politicians, human rights activists and others. Prosecutors say the general intentionally lightened Galan’s bodyguard contingent to enable the Aug. 18, 1989 assassination. This is the second time that Maza has been arrested in connection with the Galán slaying (I noted last year’s arrest here). According to WaPo, Maza “was freed in April due to procedural errors.” The WaPo headline is in error (describing Maza as an “ex-police chief”) as the head of the DAS is more like a combined head of the Secret Service, FBI and DHS rolled into one. Filed under: Colombia,Latin America \| Comments Off\| Colombia and Ecuador Restore Relations By Steven L. Taylor Via CNN International: Colombia and Ecuador agree to reestablish full diplomatic ties The presidents of Colombia and Ecuador announced Friday they will resume full diplomatic relations after more than two years of estrangement. […] Ecuador broke relations with Colombia on March 3, 2023, two days after the Colombian military attacked a Colombian leftist rebel camp in Angostura, just inside Ecuador’s border with Colombia. The announcement came from the UNASUR (Union of South American Nations) summit currently being held in Guyana. The role of UNASUR was such that the headline in El Tiempo read as follows: “UNASUR, the Godfather of the New Quito-Bogotá Wedding” (Unasur, el padrino de la nueva boda Quito-Bogotá). The UNASUR connection is interesting only because it seems that the newly formed organization (treaty signed in 2023 that grew out of an original attempted at regional integration in 2023) and yet it has quickly become a serious forum for inter-state communication in the region. More on the summit via the AP: South American leaders urged to strengthen ties. Filed under: Colombia,Latin America \| Comments Off\| In Memoriam: Chalmers Johnson By Steven L. Taylor I see via the Monkey Cage that political scientist Chalmers Johnson passed away earlier this month: Chalmers Johnson has died. My first and primary exposure to Johnson’s work was his book Revolutionary Change, although his career encompassed a number of topics. Reason has a obituary here: Chalmers Johnson, R.I.P. as does Steve Clemons at The Washington Note: The Impact Today and Tomorrow of Chalmers Johnson. Filed under: Academia,in memoriam \| Comments Off\| Thursday, November 25, 2023 Happy Thanksgiving! By Steven L. Taylor A Happy Thanksgiving to you all. Filed under: Not Politics \| Comments Off\| Next Page »	blog advertising is good for you Visitors Since 2/15/03 Sterling Jewelry Typewriters Internet Consulting Cisco Networks Website Protection Copiers Technology News Word of the Day Office Equipment Fax Machines Blogroll --- Advertisement Advertisement