BOGOTÁ — Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella on Friday formally shut down all peace negotiations with illegal armed groups, fulfilling a campaign promise to dismantle former President Gustavo Petro’s “Total Peace” strategy, Anadolu Agency reported.
Executive resolutions revoked credentials for government negotiators and ended dialogue tables involving the National Liberation Army (ELN), FARC dissident factions, the Clan del Golfo cartel, and urban criminal gangs in Medellín, Buenaventura, and Quibdó.
The presidency said the government was ending “dialogue processes, the socio-legal forums, and the ‘false peace,’” and would offer neither political recognition nor judicial leniency to illegal combatants. De La Espriella said more than 7 billion Colombian pesos (about $1.7 million) had been spent on negotiator fees alone, excluding security and logistics costs.
Barely a month into office, he said groups that truly want to disarm must submit to the justice system, while those who keep attacking civilians will face the full force of security forces.
Sources: Anadolu Agency
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