More than 10 armed groups in Colombia declare unilateral ceasefire

The Peace Commissioner, Danilo Rueda, reported on Wednesday that several armed groups had decreed a ceasefire within the framework of President Gustavo Petro’s proposal for a “total peace” for Colombia.

Rueda confirmed that there are “more than ten” groups that made the decision unilaterally, in a gesture that aligns with the call promoted by Petro to participate in the exploration of possible peace talks or submission to justice.

“Each group with its own identity is expressing its willingness to be part of total peace. In this part of the exploration they have been asked not to kill, not to disappear, not to torture,” said Rueda.

Among the groups that have decided on the ceasefire are factions of the dissolved Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) that distanced themselves from the peace agreement signed in 2016: the General Staff led by alias Iván Mordisco and the Second Marquetalia, led by Iván Marquez.

Rueda assured that the Gaitanista Self-Defense Forces of Colombia or Clan del Golfo, dedicated to drug trafficking and descendants of paramilitaries who recently increased their criminal activity in response to the extradition to the United States of their former chief, Dairo Antonio Úsuga, also decreed a ceasefire. David, better known as “Othniel”.

The official confirmed that the Self-Defense Conquerors of the Sierra or Los Pachencas, heirs of paramilitary groups operating in the north of the country, have also accepted the ceasefire.

“Full Peace”

Rueda reiterated that the total peace proposal outlined by Petro is in the exploration phase, which proposes the exploration of eventual peace talks or submission to justice. “The purpose of total peace is to try to generate answers to those demands for peace. They are already doing it, they have made it public and they have sent it.”

Last Friday, commander of the dissidence of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), alias ‘Iván Mordisco’, appeared in a video announcing his readiness for a multilateral ceasefire with the Colombian government. A few days earlier, the Commissioner for Peace had signed a joint statement with four members of that organization raising the possibility of a bilateral ceasefire.

In mid-August, the Government of Colombia formalized the dialogue table with the guerrilla group National Liberation Army (ELN).

[Contiene información de AP]

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