Petro ‘reactivates’ operations against the Clan del Golfo

First modification: 03/20/2023 – 12:33Last modification: 03/20/2023 – 12:36

“I have ordered the Public Force to reactivate all military operations against the Clan del Golfo”, with this message on social networks, the Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, put an end to a bilateral ceasefire that will have lasted less than three months.

The Clan del Golfo would be behind the intimidation and aggression against citizens of the northwest of the country, they would also have attacked a military patrol with a rifle, according to what Defense Minister Iván Vázquez reported for his part.

Last December, the Colombian president announced a truce, as the first step towards negotiations, with the Clan del Golfo, with the National Liberation Army, with FARC dissidents who did not accept the first 2016 peace agreement and with a group paramilitary of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.

illegal gold mines

The government accuses the Clan del Golfo in particular of being behind the protest movement of the miners of Bajo Cauca, in the west of the country. The workers of the illegal mines have been protesting since the beginning of March against the operations carried out by the military and the police, who destroy the machines with which they extract gold.

It must be remembered that gold mining is an important source of contamination of water courses, especially due to the mercury used to amalgamate the gold particles. There have been armed confrontations with the police, and the government suspects that the clan has not stopped trafficking cocaine and gold and fosters a climate of violence.

President Petro accuses the Clan del Golfo of prioritizing profits from illegal gold over peace talks and claims they have taken advantage of the ceasefire to strengthen their presence in illegal mines. According to official estimates, the Gulf cartel is responsible for 30 to 60% of drug exports from Colombia, the world’s largest producer of cocaine.

A few weeks ago, the clan appointed lawyers to start talks with the government. But he demanded to be recognized at the same level as the ELN guerrilla group, which the government has recognized as a political organization in these peace talks. On the other hand, the Attorney General refused to suspend the arrest warrants that had been issued against the representatives of the clan who were going to participate in the negotiations.

Gustavo Petro’s entourage was not always in favor of this rapprochement policy that began last December. The Clan del Golfo is known for its exactions and for cutting off areas under its control, practicing what it calls “social cleansing.”