As violence intensifies in Venezuela amid month-long antigovernment protests, concern over instability in the oil rich nation is demanding the attention of the region. But Venezuela's neighbors, many of which have integrated economic or security interests with this South American country, are wary of angering Caracas, which has rejected any interference in its domestic unrest.

Many investors have been stampeding out of emerging-market bonds, but they’re falling in love with Colombia. Investors have poured $622.5 million into Colombia’s bond market since the start of the year, the biggest inflow into any emerging-market country so far in 2014, according to fund flow tracker EPFR Global.

Many investors have been stampeding out of emerging-market bonds, but they’re falling in love with Colombia. Investors have poured $622.5 million into Colombia’s bond market since the start of the year, the biggest inflow into any emerging-market country so far in 2014, according to fund flow tracker EPFR Global.

Google has created a special doodle in recognition of Colombia’s congressional elections. The doodle, live on the Colombian Google homepage since Sunday morning, features patriotic colors and a set of hands casting a vote into a ballot box and invites all Colombian citizens to exercise what President Juan Manuel Santos called their “right and duty” to vote.

Ex-presidents Felipe Calderon of Mexico, Alan Garcia of Peru and Cesar Gaviria of Colombia brought to Bogota the fad for selfies that has overtaken Hollywood and US President Barack Obama. In charge of posting the dignitaries' picture on the social network Twitter was Calderon, and judging by the look of concentration on his face, he seems to have been the photographer as well.

Colombia offered “permanent training” in human rights and landmine programs to countries of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) during a meeting on Thursday, according to the Colombian Defense Ministry.

If Britain were fighting a war where 2,000 people died every year, where increasing numbers of our young people were recruited by the enemy and our opponents were always a step ahead, developing new weapons faster than we could combat them, there would be outcry and loud calls for change. Yet this is exactly the situation with the "war on drugs" and for far too long we have resisted a proper debate about the need for a different strategy.

If Britain were fighting a war where 2,000 people died every year, where increasing numbers of our young people were recruited by the enemy and our opponents were always a step ahead, developing new weapons faster than we could combat them, there would be outcry and loud calls for change. Yet this is exactly the situation with the "war on drugs" and for far too long we have resisted a proper debate about the need for a different strategy.