President Gustavo Petro took office in August 2022, and introduce the policy of “Paz Total” (Total Peace) which was approved by Congress, it allows the Colombian Government to negotiate with a range of illegal armed groups still active in the Colombian conflict. These include the guerrilla group known as the National Liberation Army (Ejército de Liberación Nacional – ELN), dissidents of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) that emerged after the 2016 Peace Accord they are known as the Estado Mayor Central de las FARC (EMC), the Segunda Marquetalia, these are FARC Commanders that returned to the conflict after declaring that the Duque Government was failing to implement the agreements made in the 2016 Peace Accord, and a series of criminal organisations.

“Colombia has the second highest number of criminal organisations after the Democratic Republic of Congo” with around 50 criminal groups that are engaged in drug trafficking, illegal mining, the trafficking of people, oil, wildlife and arms, illegal contracts and extortion.

The Petro Government’s focus is on negotiated settlements which is a welcome approach and a necessary shift in strategy from the previous Ivan Duque Government where the focus was almost exclusively on the military intervention to address insecurity in Colombia.

Below you will find regular updates on the implementation of Total Peace and the different negotiations that the Colombian Government is initiating.

Peace Talks