In Colombia human rights are still violated by members of the Military but this doesn’t necessarily translate into extrajudicial executions. According to Todd Howland, the representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia, ‘a technical definition of false positives doesn’t exist. However, these could be defined as a strategy of the military forces to increase their war stats, using the civilian population.”

The UN also criticized Colombia’s Military Justice Reform, to which the Government responded defensively, insisting that there needs to be judicial security for the members of the Public Forces.

In the report, the UN claims the reform “infringes upon the basic separation of powers necessary for the judiciary’s independence.” It also says the reform “reflects a lack of trust and respect between the State’s institutions.”

Colombia’s Foreign Relations Minister, Maria Angela Holguín, reversed the appointment of Francisco José Zuccardi, brother of senator Piedad Zuccardi, to the Colombian consulate in Mérida, Venezuela, after the controversy generated by the announcement.

The appointment came just one day before the Supreme Court issued a warrant for the arrest of Piedad Zuccardi for her alleged ties to paramilitary groups. Ms. Zuccardi has yet to appear before the Court to give her testimony.

An economy that’s not growing to its full potential and inflation below the target are the two main factors driving the Board of Directors of the country’s Central Bank to lower interest rates to 3,75 percent.

“In Colombia, economic indicators for the fourth quarter of 2012 suggest that private consumption grew a bit less than in the two previous quarters. Uncertainty regarding investment, particularly in civil works and construction, is still high,” the Bank said.

Starting today, some of the 155 new homeowners can occupy their new homes in the Altos de La Cruz I complex, which is the first free housing project to be completed in Medellín and is part of the National Government’s plan to give away 100,000 homes in Colombia.

Construction has already been completed but the occupants must also finish a few courses provided by the ‘Neighbors and Friends’ program before they can move in; the program educates residents about living in a horizontal property, among other things. The first to arrive are those in most need, full occupancy will take about a month.