2008 in Colombia

none 2008 The following lists events that happened during 2008 in Colombia. Incumbents President: Álvaro Uribe Vélez Vice President: Francisco Santos Calderón Events January January 10 - FARC guerrillas release Colombian hostages Clara Rojas and Consuelo González.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7182105.stm Family reunions for Farc hostages 11 January 2008 14 January 2015 February February 27 - Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez negotiates a deal leading to the release of four hostages held by Colombian FARC rebels. The hostages were members of Congress and had been held since 2001 and 2002.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7266837.stm Colombian hostages freed by Farc 28 February 2008 14 January 2015 March March 2 - President of Venezuela Hugo Chávez orders the closure of the Venezuelan embassy in Colombia and moves ten battalions to the Colombian border in response to the killing of FARC leader Raúl Reyes in Ecuador by Colombian armed forces the previous day. Rafael Correa, the President of Ecuador, orders troops to the Colombian border. The Colombian government accuses Correa of having "a relationship and commitments" with FARC.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7274222.stm Colombia neighbours deploy troops 3 March 2008 14 January 2015 March 14 - Colombian Ministry of National Defense Juan Manuel Santos says the government will pay US$2.5 million to Pedro Pablo Montoya, the FARC rebel who killed Iván Ríos.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7297829.stm Colombia to pay ex-rebel reward 14 March 2008 14 January 2015 April April 6 - Mark Penn resigns as chief strategist for the Hillary Clinton 2008 presidential campaign. This comes in the wake of revelations that he performed lobbying work for the Colombian government, regarding a free trade pact that Senator Clinton opposes.https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89422142 Clinton Campaign Strategist Mark Penn Steps Down 6 April 2008 14 January 2015 April 14 - The Nevado del Huila volcano erupts in Colombia, causing thousands to evacuate.http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/04/15/volcano.colom/index.html Thousands flee erupting Colombian volcano 15 April 2008 14 January 2015 May May 13 - Colombia extradites 14 former paramilitary leaders, including Salvatore Mancuso, Rodrigo Tovar Pupo, and Diego Murillo Bejarano, to the United States where they have been charged with drug traffickinghttps://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7398332.stm Colombian ex-warlords sent to US 13 May 2008 14 January 2015 May 15 - Interpol confirms that Colombia did not tamper with computer files in hardware seized from Raul Reyes. This alleged that Venezuela and Ecuador provided funding, assistance and drug routes to the terrorist group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. However, Interpol stated that they had not looked at the content of the files, only their authenticity.https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7403685.stm Farc rebel link files 'genuine' 16 May 2008 14 January 2015 May 18 - A senior Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia commander known as "Karina" surrenders to Colombian authorities.http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/05/18/colombia.farc/ Colombia rebel leader surrenders 18 May 2008 14 January 2015 May 24 - A 5.9 earthquake with its epicentre in the Department of Meta strikes the Central and West areas of Colombia; at least 11 people are killed with over 4000 injuries reported.http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/colombia-earthquake-toll-climbs-to-11/article1-313148.aspx https://archive.today/20150118024821/http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/colombia-earthquake-toll-climbs-to-11/article1-313148.aspx dead January 18, 2015 Colombia earthquake toll climbs to 11 26 May 2008 14 January 2015 June June 24 - Representing Pope Benedict XVI, Colombian Cardinal Darío Castrillón Hoyos makes a reconciliation offer to the conservative Society of St. Pius X. Hoyos requested the Society respect the Pope's authority, and expected a positive response by the end of the month.http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0803360.htm Vatican presses traditionalists with reconciliation expiration date 25 June 2008 14 January 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20130508062542/http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0803360.htm 8 May 2013 dead dmy-all July July 2 - Íngrid Betancourt, held captive by the FARC guerilla for six years, is rescued in an operation by the Colombian government.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7486552.stm Colombia hostage Betancourt freed 3 July 2008 14 January 2015 July 20 - The Colombian diaspora celebrates Colombia's Independence Day with concerts and marches against violence, kidnapping and the FARC in Bogotá, Leticia, the country's other 1,119 cities and municipalities, and events in cities around the world including Paris (attended by Ingrid Betancourt), London, Washington, D.C., New York City and Miami.https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7515939.stm Betancourt in plea to Farc rebels 20 July 2008 14 January 2015 October October 26 - Óscar Tulio Lizcano, a Conservative congressman kidnapped by the FARC in August 2000, is freed by the military in Chocó Department.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7691962.stm Colombian army frees Farc hostage 26 October 2008 14 January 2015 November November 22 - The government of Colombia confirms that the eruption of Nevado del Huila, a volcano in southern Colombia, has led to at least ten deaths in recent days and the evacuation of 12,000 people.https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7744324.stm Colombia volcano claims 10 lives 23 November 2008 14 January 2015 Deaths 9 March – Pello Torres, trumpeter and songwriter (b. 1924)https://www.radionacional.co/musica/artistas-colombianos/artista-de-la-semana-en-radio-nacional-pello-torres Pello Torres: el centenario de un precursor del sonido sabanero Pello Torres: the centenary of a precursor of the sabanero sound es Radio Nacional de Colombia 2024-11-04 2025-09-11 7 September – Berenice Chávez, singer (b. 1926)https://www.radionacional.co/musica/artistas-colombianos/artista-de-la-semana-berenice-chavez El centenario de Berenice Chávez, la Reina de la Canción Colombiana es Radio Nacional de Colombia Sary Tovar 2026-06-07 2026-06-23 References 30em External links Colombia 2008 in Category:2000s in Colombia Category:Years of the 21st century in Colombia Colombia Colombia