Comuneros del Sur Peace Talks Timeline

The Comuneros del Sur is a faction of the ELN, that broke away from the ELN in May 2024 when they decided, against the wishes of the Central Control of the ELN, to conduct their own Regional Peace Talks with the Colombian Government. Comuneros del Sur operate in the department of Nariño, and consist of approximately 300 – 400 members. The split from the ELN occurred whilst Peace Talks were ongoing with the ELN.

7 May 2024

Comuneros del Sur announced that they have split from the ELN

July 2024

Formal peace talks begin

Petro’s government announces they will initiate formal peace talks with the Comuneros del Sur, under the Total Peace.

6 April 2025

Government announces Agreements

Petro’s government announces that the Comuneros del Sur have agreed to lay down their arms and complete the disarmament by 27 June 2025. Although the impact of this agreement may only be felt in Nariño, it has been hailed by the government as a major success towards achieving Petro’s Total Peace process.

The agreement, signed in Pasto, has two main components. The first, recognises the fundamental role of the communities affected by the conflict and sets out a process for symbolic reparation. The second, sets out a framework to replace 5,000 hectares of coca for other crops. Nariño has the highest concentration of coca crops in the country.

17 July 2025

Violence has Sharply Declined and Transitional Programmes are being Implemented

Conflict-related homicides have dropped by 83%, and displacement decreased by 16%. Notably, no signatories of the peace accords were killed in 2024, underscoring improved protection for former combatants. Local authorities are pushing for formalization of illegal mining, crop substitution, and economic alternatives, transforming coca cultivation areas into legal crops like cacao and açaí. Results include a 99.1% drop in mass displacement, elimination of forced confinement, a 43% reduction in child recruitment, and a 68% decline in conflict-related homicides between 2023 and 2025.

August 2025

Autodefensas Unidas de Nariño (AUN), exploit disarmament efforts in the region.

Since their formation in 2023, the AUN has continued to expand, exploiting the power vacuum left behind by the demobilised Comuneros del Sur.

Reports suggest the AUN is essentially the same as the Comuneros under a paramilitary label. Social leaders call this a rebranding rather than a change of behaviour with the group possessing many of the same combatants.

The government is also engaged in Peace Talks with the ELN, the EMC, the Segunda Marquetalia, the AGC, and the ACSN.