AGP Executive Report

Colombia Education & Skills: With a presidential runoff looming, Abelardo de la Espriella and Ivan Cepeda are sharply divided on how to reshape schools—De la Espriella pushes tech-led training and industry links, while experts warn both plans still leave gaps on teacher development and real learning outcomes. Biometrics & Public Safety: The U.S. State Department’s INL in Bogotá is moving to buy Clearview AI licenses for Colombian police units, reigniting debate over cross-border biometric surveillance. Smart Glasses Scrutiny: Meta’s smart-glasses facial recognition work is under new pressure after reporting that it licensed technology from ROC, a firm tied to government and defense use cases. Digital Identity Interoperability: A Hawaii ID scanning glitch highlights how digital ID rollouts can fail when issuing authorities, scanners, software, and airport workflows aren’t aligned. Space Ambitions: Antioquia’s governor floated the idea of a Urabá spaceport after a SpaceX exchange with Elon Musk, tying Colombia’s geography to future launch infrastructure. Connectivity in Colombia: MinTIC invested COP 25B with RENATA to lay ~342 km of fiber in northern Magdalena, connecting 14,158 families. Environment & Food Supply: Colombia’s new cattle tracking and deforestation-free beef rules aim to close loopholes that let illegally cleared land feed supply chains. Health & Policy: A global report says attacks on education rose over 40% in 2024-2025, with Colombia among the hardest hit. Urban Cooling: Vertical gardens are gaining traction as a practical heat-mitigation tool for dense cities. Climate Monitoring: NASA flagged warm Pacific buildup that could signal El Niño’s return later this year. Security Tech for Events: South Florida is tightening World Cup drone defenses with “no drone zones” and counter-drone funding.

Urban Heat Mitigation: A new push for vertical gardens is gaining traction as cities face blistering heat, with research pointing to cooling benefits and biodiversity gains from green walls. World Cup Tech & Security: South Florida is tightening drone controls around Hard Rock Stadium with “no drone zones,” while Miami’s venue rules also spell out strict clear-bag limits for fans. Space & Regional Industry: Antioquia’s governor publicly floated the idea of a Urabá spaceport after SpaceX signaled it may expand Starship launches to multiple sites worldwide. Digital Identity: Bhutan joined the 50-in-5 campaign to strengthen privacy-preserving self-sovereign ID and digital public infrastructure, following Colombia’s recent membership. Climate Monitoring: NASA and European partners are tracking warm Pacific water buildup that could point to El Niño returning later this year. Colombia Connectivity: MinTIC invested COP 25 billion to extend fiber in northern Magdalena, linking thousands of families. Environment & Supply Chains: Colombia’s new cattle-tracking law aims to keep beef tied to deforestation out of supply chains. Health Tech (Food/Metabolic): Rousselot’s Nextida GC won a US patent for collagen peptides targeting healthier post-meal blood glucose responses.

Education Under Attack: A new GCPEA report says attacks on schools and education personnel jumped more than 40% in 2024–2025, reaching 8,500+ incidents across 83 countries and harming 10,600+ students and staff; Colombia tops the list of highest incidences. OAS Funding Crisis: A commentary warns the OAS could collapse if the U.S. cuts its assessed contribution to zero in FY2027, threatening the region’s democracy-support and peace-monitoring work. Colombia Tech & Bioeconomy: REDBIO Colombia 2025 is credited with boosting Medellín’s biotech momentum into 2026, spotlighting how labs and DeepTech can turn biology into real products and jobs. AI for Interpreters: Intercall’s real-time, human-in-the-loop captioning/translation aims to better match how professional interpreters actually work in remote meetings. Sports Collectibles: FIFA ends its Panini deal after 54 years and shifts the official sticker license to Fanatics, with a major youth-focused rollout. Security & Tech in the Field: Reports say a joint U.S.-Venezuela operation killed Tren de Aragua leader “Nino Guerrero,” citing specialized technological support and intelligence sharing.

Biotech in Medellín: REDBIO Colombia 2025 turned Medellín into a Latin America biotech hub by bringing together universities, DeepTech and the bioeconomy around practical problems like health equity, climate and biodiversity loss—showing how lab work can translate into real products and jobs. Wildlife science: Researchers are still puzzled by glass frogs’ transparent skin, which lets you see internal organs; the leading idea is camouflage that makes predators less likely to spot them. Archaeology: New radiocarbon dating of plant remains is helping narrow when the “Llullaillaco Maiden” and other Inca children were sacrificed, linking burial details to historical events. Disinformation controversy: Leaked “Honduras Gate” audios claim a regional disinformation network funded by Javier Milei, but authenticity is disputed and denials were issued. Security & tech: The US and Venezuela confirmed the killing of Tren de Aragua leader “Nino Guerrero” in a joint operation, citing specialized technological support and intelligence sharing. Colombia politics: A late poll ahead of Colombia’s June 21 runoff puts Abelardo de la Espriella ahead of Iván Cepeda, while security planning ramps up amid concerns about unrest.

US–Venezuela Security: The Tren de Aragua leader “Nino Guerrero” (Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores) was killed in a joint operation, with Venezuela citing clashes and “specialized technological support” and the US framing it as a direct strike tied to the war on drugs. Colombia Politics: US lawmakers and Trump’s endorsement of far-right candidate Abelardo De la Espriella drew condemnation from Democratic members of Congress, who called it an attempt to “tip the scales” in Colombia’s runoff. EV Infrastructure: A new C40/IFC report points to how cities in Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico can scale public EV charging, estimating charging investment needs reaching about $3.8B by 2035 across the covered markets. Digital Finance: Nu Holdings’ Latin America expansion continues to draw investor attention as the digital bank grows its customer base and faces a depressed share price. Wearables in Sport: Brazil’s national team is using sensor “smart vests” to track player movement and recovery ahead of World Cup 2026 decisions. Research & Policy: Universidad de los Andes academics argue Colombia should rethink drug policy by tackling poverty and violence in illicit-economy territories rather than focusing only on supply reduction.

US–Venezuela Strike: The leader of Tren de Aragua, Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores (“Niño Guerrero”), was killed in a joint operation with “specialized technological support” and intelligence-sharing, as Trump said the US carried out a “swift and lethal kinetic” strike. Drug Policy Debate in Colombia: Academics from Universidad de los Andes argue Colombia should rethink its drug strategy by tackling poverty and violence in coca- and cannabis-affected territories, warning that decades of supply-focused policies have had limited impact. EV Charging for Colombia: A new C40/IFC report maps how cities in emerging markets—including Colombia—can scale public EV charging, estimating investment needs of about $3.8B by 2035 across Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and India. Water Cooperation: Colombia and Venezuela relaunched their Binational Technical Commission for Hydrographic Basins, with next evaluations set for early July in Bogotá. Telecom Competition: Viettel Global entered the Dominican Republic as its fourth mobile operator, signaling continued LatAm telecom expansion and pressure for more competition. World Cup Tech & Culture: Brazil’s squad is using sensor “smart vests” to track player performance and recovery ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026, while schools and fans across the region are turning the tournament into learning and community events.

Submarine Arms Race: A new week of coverage spotlights how submarines keep reshaping power under the sea, with rising fleets and renewed interest in undersea deterrence. Anti-Narco Security: President Trump says a U.S. strike killed Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, leader of Tren de Aragua, underscoring continued cross-border pressure on armed groups. EV Charging for Colombia: A C40 Cities/IFC report maps how emerging-market cities—including Colombia—can scale public EV charging, with investment needs estimated up to about $3.8B by 2035. Water Governance: Venezuela and Colombia relaunched their Binational Technical Commission for Hydrographic Basins, with follow-up work scheduled in Bogotá in early July. Payments Tech in LATAM: Ripple and Bitso expand stablecoin settlement using the XRP Ledger, while Blokko and Dejavoo push real-time payments for World Cup-era cross-border commerce. Colombia Infrastructure Watch: A report flags Colombia’s unfinished jungle airports, with $60M spent and major completion gaps, raising questions about the ASAES program’s execution. Russian Influence: A study alleges Russia runs misinformation and influence operations across 13 Latin American countries, including Colombia. Colombia Drug Policy Politics: Petro highlights anti-drug cooperation with the Trump administration in a Washington Post column. World Cup Context: Ticket prices and host-city travel costs keep climbing, with Colombia vs. Portugal cited among the pricier matchups.

UN Land Degradation Talks: Latin American governments and civil society will meet in Quito on June 17 to push grasslands and savannahs higher on the UNCCD agenda ahead of COP17, highlighting biodiversity, water regulation, carbon storage, and the policy “representation gap.” Drug-Policy Tech & Security: Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro says cooperation with the Trump administration on anti-drug efforts has produced results, arguing coordination has held despite political differences. Payments for Visitors: Blokko partnered with Dejavoo to enable real-time cross-border payments with instant conversion and USD settlement—aimed at merchants serving World Cup crowds. Colombia Infrastructure Warning: A report flags stalled ASAES jungle airport projects: Colombia spent over US$60M on four unfinished sites, with the most advanced at just 18.4% completion. Climate Signals for Colombia: NASA/ESA satellite data points to early El Niño development in the Pacific, with knock-on risks for rain, drought, and heat. Life Sciences Investment: Austrian skincare and supplements firm RINGANA will invest US$85M in Roanoke, creating 435 jobs and building a North American production and R&D hub. Aerospace Modernization: Israel Aerospace Industries completed an upgrade of Sri Lanka’s Kfir fleet, adding a glass cockpit, avionics, and mission system updates.

Digital Governance in Colombia: MinTIC unveiled a refreshed global visual identity for the .co domain at ICANN86, after awarding the registry operation to the Equipo PuntoCo Consortium; the government’s share of registry gross income rises from 81% to 92%, with funds earmarked for connectivity and closing the digital divide. AI Governance in Latin America: CIPE launched Latin America’s first private-sector-led AI governance roadmap in Bogotá, aiming to bridge regulation and real business adoption through a “bottom-up” approach. Health & Tech: A new National AIDS Memorial and Gilead Foundation commitment backs HIV/AIDS education and leadership development, focusing on preserving epidemic history and expanding community engagement. Climate Tech & Nature: Research warns rising seas could weaken mangroves’ role as carbon sinks, potentially turning them into future carbon emitters. Colombia Infrastructure: Santa Marta’s Simon Bolívar International Airport plans major upgrades, including a runway extension to 3,000 meters, to boost international connectivity and tourism. Wildlife Tech Photography: A Colombian savanna hawk photo from Cúcuta won a top conservation prize at the Audubon Photography Awards, captured with an 83x superzoom camera.

Global Diplomacy: The UN marked the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations with events in New York, Vienna and Paris, and Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro backed dialogue as a way to tackle global challenges. Medical Tourism in Colombia: A Bucaramanga hospital highlights a “predictable” end-to-end model for international patients—diagnosis to rehab—aimed at cutting waits and improving outcomes. Colombia’s Money Debate: Abelardo de la Espriella’s dollarization push hit headlines, but he later walked back the plan, citing constitutional and legal hurdles. Tech for Migrants: Migratum launched an identity-and-financial “operating system” app in Colombia and four other markets, pitching faster verification and regulated remittances/credit for migrants. Biosecurity Watch: New World screwworm has reached the US again, with researchers linking spread to illegal cattle smuggling—an issue that matters for Colombia’s livestock and biosecurity. Health & HIV Education: The National AIDS Memorial and Gilead Foundation announced a ~$3M, three-year push to expand HIV education and leadership programs. EV Market Reality Check: Colombia’s electric vehicle registrations surged, but charging infrastructure still lags, keeping hybrids ahead in volume. World Cup Tech & Culture: FIFA’s tournament rolls out match tech upgrades and a massive media push as Colombia’s J Balvin and others appear in the opening ceremony lineup.

Coffee & Biodiversity: Colombian Andes research highlights that forest cover within a 2-kilometer radius around coffee farms is key for bird diversity, shifting conservation focus from farm-level shade to landscape-scale forest protection. New Species Discovery: Panama and Colombia researchers report a new longhorn beetle, Sternacutus crucolon, in The Coleopterists Bulletin, underscoring the region’s biodiversity. AI & Research Methods: A guest post uses AI-assisted coding to map how often randomized trials appear in development economics papers (2021–2025), probing whether resources are being steered toward certain methods and geographies. Immigration & Big Tech: ICE detentions tied to Meta operations sparked internal employee backlash and renewed scrutiny of how federal immigration enforcement intersects with tech workforces. Energy-Saving Coffee Tech: UNSW researchers describe “ultrasonic espresso,” using ultrasound with room-temperature water to cut brewing energy use by up to 75% while matching traditional taste in blind tests. Colombia War Update: Colombia reports 173 dead and 670 missing in the Russia-Ukraine war, with consular tracking and cautions that totals may be undercounted. World Cup Reality Check: Ticket prices in several U.S. host cities can exceed typical monthly mortgage payments, while U.S. immigration rules warn influencers that content creation may require the right visa.

AI Infrastructure Push: The World Economic Forum named 100 “Technology Pioneers” from 23 countries, with many building the software and physical infrastructure needed for autonomous AI agents—identity, payments, security, and enterprise integration. Health & Biotech Markets: A report projects the global Type 2 diabetes market could reach $85B by 2035, driven by GLP-1 and SGLT-2 uptake. Colombia War Accounting: Colombia says 173 citizens are dead and 670 missing in the Russia-Ukraine war, warning the real numbers may be higher due to unreported travel. Defense & Drones: Colombia’s drone conflict is shifting from lone strikes to coordinated swarm-style attacks, with analysts tracing the escalation. Environment & Supply Chains: Colombia passed a law to track cattle and block deforestation-linked beef from supply chains, aiming to curb Amazon clearing. Connectivity for Travelers: Google Fi expanded international 5G coverage to 22 new countries/territories, including Colombia, plus automatic Pixel network switching. Tech in the Real World: UNSW researchers report ultrasound-based “espresso” brewing using room-temperature water with lower energy use.

Cattle & Forests: Colombia passed a landmark law to track cattle and block deforestation-linked beef from supply chains, requiring cattle-tracing, land ownership and deforestation monitoring to close loopholes tied to illegal clearing. Invasive Species: Colombia will cull at least half of Pablo Escobar’s hippos—around 80 animals—to curb an invasive population that has grown unchecked in the Magdalena Medio region. Defense Tech: Colombia’s FPV drone conflict is escalating from lone strikes to coordinated swarm-style attacks, with analysts pointing to tactics borrowed from the Russia-Ukraine war. Connectivity in Travel: Google Fi is expanding 5G to 22 new destinations (including Colombia) and rolling out travel upgrades like faster Pixel network switching, broader Wi‑Fi Auto‑Connect+, and expanded VPN coverage. Digital Skills Recognition: Vocational Schools of the Armed Forces and National Police (Dominican Republic) won top honors at the Latam Digital Awards 2026 in Bogotá, highlighting education and digital government projects across the region. Data Centers: Aligned Data Centers earned Great Place To Work certification again across the US, Brazil, Colombia, Chile and Mexico. Wellness Tourism: Wake Medellín is set to open in June 2026 in Provenza with sleep-focused amenities and a restaurant concept led by Chef Jaime Rodríguez.

Colombia Tech & Industry: Aligned Data Centers earned Great Place To Work certification for a second straight year across the US, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, and Mexico, highlighting its push to build “critical digital infrastructure” alongside workforce development. Connected Mobility: Iteris’ BlueTOAD Spectra CV roadside unit received OmniAir certification, aiming to help agencies deploy interoperable V2X roadside tech with travel-time detection and performance data in one device. Rare Disease Biotech: Chiesi Global Rare Diseases says Health Canada accepted its FILSUVEZ (birch triterpenes) topical gel for priority review for wounds tied to dystrophic and junctional epidermolysis bullosa. Logistics & Trade Tech: DP World expanded Mexico City air freight capabilities after receiving IATA certification for freight forwarding, designed to support nearshoring-driven cross-border demand. Infrastructure Materials: Vinci Construction moved deeper into Latin America ground technologies by agreeing to acquire Grupo TDM’s geosynthetics division in Peru, active across Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico. AI for Farmers: AgroPulse AI launched an admin-heavy livestock and compliance workflow inside WhatsApp, positioning AI as “field-ready” rather than another app.

Drones in Colombia: The army says armed groups are using increasingly sophisticated drones, including grenade-carrying models dropped from different altitudes and wire-guided systems, as drone attacks jumped sharply in 2025. Trade & forced labor: The U.S. USTR proposed new Section 301 tariffs on imports from 60 economies over forced-labor concerns, with Colombia among the countries facing potential higher costs. Space & tech markets: A new report forecasts strong growth for oncology companion diagnostics, driven by biomarker-guided cancer therapies. Local economy & real estate: Bogotá is ranked Latin America’s most cost-competitive city for premium office fit-outs, helped by lower professional fees and incentives from higher vacancy. Education diplomacy (Korea): South Korea launches a digital Korean studies network across Latin America, with Colombia included via accredited online courses. Environment & climate: El Niño is “evolving” and could affect Colombia’s weather and inflation pressures. Biodiversity watch: University of Florida researchers say invasive spectacled caimans are spreading in Florida’s Everglades, and they’re asking the public to report sightings. Colombia investment signal: Foreign direct investment rose in Colombia in Q1 2026, up year-on-year despite longer-term declines.

Biodiversity Breakthrough: Scientists report the first photographic record in over two decades of the dwarf island fox on Cozumel, after rescuing and releasing an adult male—an important step for conservation planning on isolated habitats. Public Health & Climate Risk: A new report warns extreme heat is more likely during the 2026 World Cup than in 1994, with climate change raising the odds of unsafe conditions in multiple host cities. Colombia Economy: Foreign direct investment rose to US$3.8B in Colombia’s first quarter of 2026, up 34.4% year-on-year, signaling renewed investor interest despite a longer-term slowdown. Digital Education Diplomacy: Seoul’s Korea Foundation launches a virtual Korean studies network across six Latin American universities, including Colombia, with courses counting toward regular degree credits. Wildlife Monitoring Call: University of Florida researchers ask the public to report spectacled caiman sightings in Florida via the IVEGOT1 app, as invasive breeding may complicate Everglades restoration. Sustainability Spotlight: Premios Verdes releases its 2026 ranking of 500 socio-environmental projects; Colombia leads with 112 entries.