Caracas has recalled its ambassador from Lima in response to Peru's decision to grant political asylum to wanted Venezuelan opposition leader Manuel Rosales. Rosales, who lost the 2006 Venezuelan presidential race to President Hugo Chávez, is accused of illegally enriching himself while governor of Zulia state. In an April 27 statement, Venezuela's foreign ministry charged that Peru's decision "constitutes a mockery of international law." (Press TV, Iran, April 28)

Bolivian authorities say the dismantling of a commando made up mainly of foreign mercenaries could lead to the people behind around a dozen different attacks carried out since 2006 in the city of Santa Cruz. Bolivian Vice President Álvaro García Linera said the attacks were aimed at destabilizing the government of Evo Morales and were to culminate in the assassination of the president. He said business leaders and landowners in the eastern province of Santa Cruz were financing the clandestine operations by the five alleged terrorists, three of whom were shot and killed by the police.

Extradited paramilitary warlord Diego Fernando "Don Berna" Murillo appealed for a commission of Colombian congressmen to visit him in his US prison so he can continue his collaboration with Bogotá on bringing justice. Don Berna—sentenced to 31 years for drug trafficking April 22—appealed in a letter to Colombian lawmakers to visit him to "guarantee transparency, accuracy and efficiency" in his cooperation with the special Justice and Peace tribunal that seeks to clarify the crimes committed by paramilitaries before the "demobilization" of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC).

President Evo Morales said three men shot dead by an elite National Police squad in the eastern city of Santa Cruz on April 16 were involved in a foiled plot to assassinate him. Police officials said the three men—identified as a Romanian, an Irishman and a Bolivian—were killed after they opened fire on commandos who tried to enter their room on the fourth floor of the Hotel Las Américas. A Hungarian and a Bolivian were taken into custody in connection to the shootout. Bolivia's official news agency described the five men implicated as mercenaries belonging to a "terrorist cell."

Manuel Rosales, mayor of Maracaibo, Venezuela's second largest city, is missing—in what the opposition is calling the latest instance in wave of persecution by the government of President Hugo Chávez. After Chávez vowed on national TV to have Rosales imprisoned, the government filed corruption charges against the 56-year-old mayor. Two weeks ago, Rosales dropped out of sight, and his supporters say he is in hiding. (Fox News, April 14)

Daniel Rendón Herrera AKA "Don Mario"—Colombia's most wanted and feared drug lord—was captured April 15 in Apartadó municipality, in the Urabá region of northern Antioquia department, near the Caribbean coast. According to local media reports, twenty to thirty of the kingpin's men were also arrested. The operation, involving some 300 agents, was headed by National Police commissioner Oscar Naranjo himself, who had secretly gone to the region to coordinate the raid.

The commander of a remnant faction of Peru's Shining Path guerilla movement pledged more attacks after their 11th deadly ambush this year. "We will fight militarily those who defend imperialism and the government, and they are the armed forces and the police," local guerilla leader "Comrade José"—identified as Victor Quispe Palomino—said in an audio statement sent to the media. His comments came five days after suspected guerillas killed 14 soldiers in two ambushes in Ayacucho region.

Peru's Sendero Luminoso guerillas killed 13 soldiers in two ambushes April 9 in the Valle del Ríos Apurimac y Ene (VRAE) zone of Ayacucho region, military authorities have announced. In the first ambush, one soldier was killed, three were wounded, and two are missing. A captain and 11 soldiers died in a second rebel ambush on a patrol, using dynamite and grenades. Two other soldiers were wounded in the second attack, and one is still missing. The army is carrying out searches in the area where the attacks took place, around Sanabamba community, Ayahuanco district, Huanta province. Authorities have cut telephone communications in the area. (BBC News, April 12; RPP, Peru, April 11)