Colombia’s government ends ceasefire with FARC dissidents

Colombia’s national government ended a bilateral ceasefire with guerrilla group EMBF and immediately ordered a month-long suspension of military attacks.

The two decrees appear to add pressure on government and guerrilla representatives who have been formally negotiating peace since October of 2023.

The first decree, which was signed by an assistant of Peace Commissioner Otty Patiño, suspended the ceasefire and gave the guerrillas 72 hours “so that they can position themselves in sites where they assume their own security and protection measures.”

The second decree, which was signed by Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez and partially made public by President Gustavo Petro, ordered “the suspension of offensive military operations and the special operations of the National Police” against the guerrilla units that make up the EMBF.

“The decision not to extend the bilateral ceasefire does NOT imply the suspension or the end of the Peace Talks Table, it does NOT affect the recognition as representative members of the EMBF for this process, nor the corresponding suspensions of arrest warrants,” said the Peace Commissioner’s Office.

The defense minister’s decree ordered the creation of a team that includes peace negotiators and members of the security forces “who will present recommendation to the President of the Republic in relation the measures required for the continuation of this peace process” on May 17, a day before the end of the cessation of hostilities.

Neither the Peace Commissioner’s Office nor the Defense Ministry specified the exact purpose of the changes announced in the decrees that appear to put more pressure on the negotiators to produce tangible results.

The decrees were issued amid an escalation of violence involving all kinds of guerrilla organizations that has become a major threat to the “Total Peace” promised by Petro when taking office in 2022.

The majority of talks that sought to amplify a peace process with the now-defunct guerrilla group FARC have failed, mainly because of fighting between the illegal armed groups.