In November 2016, the government and FARC rebels signed an agreement ending five decades of guerrilla war, yet peace remains elusive as new armed groups have stepped in to compete for territory and illicit businesses. To defend the gains of the peace process and stop a new cycle of conflict from taking hold, the state must redress the inequality underlying social discontent, make peace with Colombia’s last major insurgency, the ELN, and design security strategies that put protecting people first. Crisis Group has worked on Colombia’s conflicts since 2002, publishing over 40 reports and briefings and meeting hundreds of times with all parties in support of inclusive peace efforts. We monitor the FARC deal’s progress and carry out field research on issues ranging from new patterns of armed conflict to Colombia’s relations with its troubled neighbour, Venezuela.
Organised crime is flourishing in the jungle expanse trisected by the borders of Brazil, Colombia and Peru, putting the populations and ecosystems of the Amazon’s heartland at serious risk. With donor aid, the three states should act fast before the illegal activity does irreversible damage.
“Total peace” efforts continued to face ups and downs as govt ended ceasefire with one EMC faction and agreed to another with Segunda Marquetalia; President Petro addressed UN Security Council.
Govt ended ceasefire with EMC’s largest faction. Govt 16 July announced end to ceasefire with largest faction of FARC dissident group known as EMC, led by Iván Mordisco. Faction had been in talks with govt until March 2024, when latter partially suspended ceasefire in three departments along Pacific Coast; military operations will now resume in all areas where group operates. Ceasefire will remain in place with smaller EMC faction led by alias Calarcá until Oct and talks are set to continue, though they hit another snag on 23 July when military in Antioquia detained vehicle carrying Calarcá and one other commander. Parts of govt had been aware of convoy, but poor internal coordination meant local officers were not informed; EMC also broke protocol by transporting weapons in vehicle. Commanders were quickly released, but incident undermined trust between sides.
Peace efforts with Segunda Marquetalia and ELN continued. Late-June talks between govt and another dissident FARC group, Segunda Marquetalia, led to unilateral ceasefire commitment; Petro did not issue presidential decree to de-escalate military operations, however, resulting in continued hostilities throughout July. Meanwhile, UN Special Representative Ruiz-Massieu 16 July urged govt and ELN to renew ceasefire agreement, set to expire 3 Aug.
President Petro addressed UN Security Council (UNSC). Petro 11 July presented report on progress of Colombia’s 2016 Peace Agreement with FARC to UNSC; Diego Tovar attended, marking first time demobilised FARC member had physically joined UNSC meeting. Petro promised to strengthen cooperation among state institutions to advance implementation of key issues, such as rural reform and integration of rural territories, and proposed seven-year extension to implement deal.
In another important development. U.S. and Panama 1 July pledged to work on “closing” Darien Gap in order to curb influx of northbound migration from South America; announcement raised concerns that migrants stuck on Colombian side of Darien could be vulnerable to human trafficking and exploitation by armed groups.
The closer an armed group is to the population [in Colombia], the harder it is to move toward peace, because they are ever more a part of society.
The trend of violence against ex-combatants [in Colombia] is a strong deterrent to disarmament.
Violence in Colombia has long come from combats between illegal groups, and from the pressure they exert on civilians.
State presence [in Panama] overly focuses on border control and does not prioritise the protection of migrants.
The ELN [in Colombia] has made very clear they have no intention of ceasing their economic activities which includes kidnapping.
By the time the Colombian state signed a peace accord with the former FARC rebels [in 2016], kidnapping nearly disappeared … But in recent years that trend has reversed.
In this video, Bram Ebus, Crisis Group's Andes Region expert delves into the rise of organised crime in the vast jungle region where the borders of Brazil, Colombia, and Peru converge.
As part of the 2016 peace deal, the Colombian government promised support to ex-combatants as they re-entered civilian society. Reintegration camps were supposed to aid in this process. As Crisis Group expert Glaeldys González reports, support has fallen short, especially for ex-combatants with disabilities.
On the Horizon sounds the alarm about conflicts and crises that may emerge over the next three to six months. It identifies key actors and dates to watch in support of global conflict prevention efforts.
In this video, Crisis Group's Senior Analyst for Colombia Elizabeth Dickinson talks with communities living in areas with a strong presence of the Gaitanista Self-Defence Force.
The Gaitanistas, Colombia’s largest and richest armed and criminal group, remain outside the government’s initiative for dialogue with all the country’s armed organisations. To avoid jeopardising other peace processes and to protect civilians, Bogotá should seek gradual talks with the Gaitanistas, while maintaining security pressure.
Organised crime has infiltrated the Amazon basin, seeking land for growing coca, rivers for drug trafficking and veins of gold underground. These groups are endangering the rainforest and the safety of those attempting to defend it. It is imperative that regional governments take protective measures.
In this video, personal narratives from migrants, smugglers, and locals shed light on the perilous journey through the Darién Gap, a treacherous migration route between Central and South America marked by criminal control.
Migrants from far and wide are trekking northward through the Darién Gap, a dense jungle where they face dangers including criminal predation. Steps to improve law enforcement, ease crises in countries of origin and provide more humanitarian aid would push policy in the right direction.
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