Tens of thousands of students and their supporters marched in cities across Colombia on Nov. 3 in a continuing struggle against proposed changes to Law 30, the legislation that has governed higher education since 1992. More than 1.8 million students from 37 public universities and at least 17 private ones have carried out an open-ended strike since Oct. 11 to protest the changes, which they say will "reduce education to a commodity." They are also protesting Colombia's free trade agreement (FTA) with the US, which the US Congress approved on Oct. 12.

The future of Colombia's FARC guerillas is in question following the death of leader "Alfonso Cano" at the hands of the Colombian army Nov. 4. Local media reports anticipate a power struggle between "Iván Márquez" and "Timochenko." Marquez, FARC's "foreign minister," is portrayed as more moderate than Timochenko, commander of the feared Bloque Magdalena Medio. Both leaders have the geographical disadvantage of being in the northeast of the country or even in Venezuela, far from the FARC's heartland in Colombia's south. Two other possible successors mentioned by analysts are "Pablo Catatumbo," commander of the Western Bloc, and "Joaquín Gómez," commander of the Southern Bloc. Gómez is said to control the FARC's drug trafficking operations in Nariño and Putumayo departments. Catatumbo, said to have been Cano's principal rival, runs the FARC's elite "special forces" that have been carrying out deadly attacks in Cauca and Nariño departments. (Colombia Reports, Nov. 5)

Colombia's Defense Ministry announced Nov. 4 that the army has killed Guillermo Leon Saenz AKA "Alfonso Cano"—the supreme leader of the FARC guerillas. According to Colombia's Radio Caracol, Cano was killed in a bomb raid and found by ground forces in a rural area of the Suárez municipality, Cauca department. The BBC later reported his body had multiple bullet wounds, suggesting he had been killed by ground forces. Cano, 63. assumed leadership of the FARC in May 2008 after the death of founder "Manuel Marulanda."

Colombia's Department of Administrative Security (DAS) was officially eliminated Oct. 3 after years of scandals concerning paramilitary ties, assassinations, illegal wiretapping and corruption. President Juan Manuel Santos and DAS director Felipe Muñoz formally announced the disbanding of the agency at the Presidential Palace in Bogotá. Replacing the 58-year old DAS will be a new intelligence agency headed by former commander of the navy, Adm. Alvaro Echandia. Interior Minister Germán Vargas Lleras said on Twitter that it will be called the "National Agency of Protection." Meanwhile, 2,300 DAS employees will be transfered to the Technical Investigation Corps (CTI) of the Fiscalia, Colombia's justice department.

Gustavo Petro, a former leader of the M-19 guerillas and longtime socialist legislator, was elected mayor of Bogotá in polling Oct. 30. Petro's campaign emphasized clean politics and reform—pressing issues as outgoing Mayor Samuel Moreno is in prison on corruption charges. "This is a victory of the desire for change of the city of Bogotá, which demands immense challenges of the 21st century, like overcoming an administrative crisis," said Petro. He won a sweeping victory over Green Party centrist Enrique Peñalosa, who gained approximately 25% of the votes. Independent Gina Parody came in third with 17%. Although a harsh critic of President Juan Manuel Santos, Petro called on the president to dialogue on cooperation. "There are things to talk about with the president," Petro said, stressing the importance of cooperation between the capital district and national government. He also called for a "plan to mitigate the effects of the TLC," the new Free Trade Agreement with the US. (Colombia Reports, Colombia Reports, Miami Herald, Oct. 30)

Growing political conflicts over development projects have prompted security forces to intervene in recent weeks in Ecuador. In the small hours of Oct. 8, military and police invaded the community of Río Grande, in coastal Manabí province, to evict a protest encampment that had been established by local comuneros of the Montubio ethnic group to resist construction of dam. Police say that the operation took place peacefully, but the comuneros report that tear gas was used and the protesters, including women and children, were assaulted. Protest leader Alfredo Zambrano reportedly suffered head wounds when he was detained. Four others were also detained, and all are still being held.

On Oct. 12 Colombian university students proceeded with plans announced in September to carry out an open-ended strike against proposed changes to the education system that they say will lead to privatization. A total of 32 public universities have gone on strike, according to the Broad National Student Panel (MANE), a national coordinating group, which has called for weekly demonstrations in support of the strike, including a special national mobilization at all public universities on Oct. 26.

Peru's National Police report the seizure of nearly a ton of cocaine, after two operations coordinated with the army in the conflicted Apurímac-Ene River Valley (VRAE). Victor Torres, police commander in the VRAE, said 540 kilograms of cocaine were seized in the first operation on Oct. 7, near the community of Boca Sonaro, in the province of Satipo, Junín region. Seven were arrested in the operation, led by the army's 31st infantry brigade. Officials reportedly seized 415 kilograms in the second operation, which took place on Oct. 12, in Llochegua, Huanta province, in Ayacucho region. The operation, involving helicopters, also saw the destruction of two cocaine laboratories. Torres told radio network RPP that "although the operations were carried out at different times both are related, because it is the same gang, headed by a Colombian national, who went by the name of 'Bellota,' operating in Llochegua." (Peru This Week, Oct. 13)