End of 'total peace': communities uneasy and rulers optimistic

President Abelardo de la Espriella has declared the end of Colombia’s so-called “total peace” strategy, a diplomatic approach aimed at negotiating with armed groups through dialogue. Speaking before military units of the Pichincha Battalion in Cali, he stated that the option of dialogue had been exhausted and that the state would take a firm stance against crime under his leadership. His remarks marked the official closure of negotiations initiated by the previous government led by President Gustavo Petro, which sought to reach agreements with armed factions operating in the Amazon region. The strategy known as “total peace” included two main negotiation tables: one involving dissidents linked to the group known as “Calarcá” and the Eastern Bolivarian Army (EMBF), and another with the Frontline Commands affiliated with the National Bolivarian Army (CNEB). Despite expectations that these groups might present their reports to the new administration, they were left empty-handed after the government decided to terminate the talks. The delegates returned to secrecy, while communities in the Amazon region expressed mixed feelings, some welcoming the new government's shift toward a more forceful approach, others fearing potential negative consequences. Last Wednesday afternoon, leaders from both sides met for the final time to assess the progress made during the negotiations. Armando Novoa, who was previously the chief negotiator for the table involving the National Bolivarian Army, noted that dismantling the institutional framework established by the peace process would not be easy. He mentioned that resources and funds already committed to the initiative could not simply be discarded. Novoa recently visited the Valley of Guamuez, where he accounted to local communities for achievements such as the destruction of 14.5 tons of explosives, the demobilization of 99 fighters, who remain in a Temporary Location Zone, and a nearly 50 percent reduction in homicides in Putumayo and Nariño. However, there was no contact made with the incoming government. Novoa explained that various channels had been used to establish communication with the new administration, including reaching out to the vice president and the minister of justice. He expressed hope that the interior minister would listen to their concerns to ensure decisions were made based on informed knowledge rather than hastily. So far, however, these efforts have gone unanswered. The only confirmation received was the president's reaffirmation that all negotiation tables would be terminated. Attempts to get responses from the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Justice, and the official spokesperson of the new government yielded no results. Effectively, even without formally revoking the decrees that allowed these discussions to proceed, the negotiation tables ceased to function. There is currently no contact between government delegates and representatives of the armed groups in the table involving the CNEB. Numbers associated with spokespeople who once engaged with the press are no longer active. The suspension of the table not only halts the negotiations but also affects related projects. Specifically, in Putumayo and Nariño, the RenHacemos program, which aims to replace illicit crops, has been implemented with 8,000 families enrolled. Additionally, a Temporary Location Zone (ZUT) was set up where 99 individuals from the Frontline Commands reside. Following the arrival of the new government and anticipating the end of the negotiations, residents of the ZUT have distanced themselves from the group to continue their reintegration process independently, avoiding possible conflicts with public forces or the extradition of alias “Araña,” the leader of the group who was captured during the negotiations. They will stay until December 25, provided the incoming government allows it. Residents of the ZUT have extended an invitation to the new government to visit them directly. They emphasized that their doors remain open for any officials interested in understanding their situation firsthand.