The Buenos Aires Herald noted that Mexico captured its No.1 drug kingpin Joaquin Guzmán, known as “El Chapo” (Shorty), who has long run Mexico’s infamous Sinaloa Cartel and over the past decade emerged as one of the world’s most powerful organized crime bosses. 

El Espectador of Bogotá noted the capture of the leader of “Los Urabeños” in the Magdalena River valley and Atlantic coastal region, Luis Antonio Medina Murillo, alias “Franco,” also known by the aliases “Frank,” “Tío,” “Profeta,” “Soldado,” “Nelson,” and “Tom.” 

In Colombia Reports of Medellín Steven Cohen noted the beginning of the 20th round of Colombian peace talks in Havana.  Like the round before it, which ended on January 23rd, the 20th round will focus on the cultivation of illicit narcotics, the third in a six-point topic agenda. 

Semana Magazine of Bogotá pointed to increasing threats against journalists in Colombia.  Since 1977, 142 journalists have been killed “in the exercise of their profession.” 

El Heraldo of Tegucigalpa noted in an editorial that over 9,000 young people have died in 16 years.  During the Porfirio “Pépe” Lobo administration alone there were 3,901 violent deaths. 

In El Espectador of Bogotá Armando Montenegro argued that the conclusion of negotiations with the guerrillas will not be the end point, but just the beginning of a series of reforms and initiatives that will be brought forward through referendums, laws, and administrative efforts. 

In Colombia Reports of Medellín Luke Horswell wrote that the Mexican Democratic Revolution Party’s (PRD) Secretary General, Alejandro Sánchez Camacho, has called for an investigation

La Prensa of Managua noted that the attorney general of Mexico, Jesús Murillo, confirmed a clash between military and self-defense groups in the state of Michoacán during an attempt at disarmament of these groups,

El Espectador of Bogotá noted that the discovery of marijuana in suitcases of tourists returning to Argentina from Montevideo by river or air has been growing

El Espectador of Bogotá reported that the FARC strongly criticized the military cooperation between Colombia and the U.S.