After the suspension of the urban peace process, alias Castor asks De La Espriella to open a dialogue to bring Los Costeños to justice

Following the suspension of the urban peace process, Jorge Eliécer Díaz Collazos, known as "Castor," has called on incoming President Abelardo De La Espriella and the newly appointed Minister of Justice, Iván Cancino, to initiate dialogue aimed at bringing the criminal organization "Los Costeños" to justice. The move comes after the outgoing government halted the initiative in Barranquilla, prompting renewed efforts to achieve the group's surrender through legal channels. The suspension was announced by the Office of the Commissioner for Peace, which indefinitely froze the installation of the Social and Legal Dialogue Space (ECSJ) for Barranquilla and its metropolitan area. This decision followed official communication dated July 8, received by Castor’s legal team, informing them of the halt to the dialogue mechanism under the outgoing administration’s urban peace policy. The office explained that the decision stemmed from the limited time remaining before the end of the current government and the transition to the new administration. In its letter to Castor’s defense team, the Office of Peace clarified that the suspension does not represent a definitive closure of the possibility of surrender. Instead, the path forward must continue exclusively through ordinary penal justice, under the direction of the Attorney General’s Office, with oversight from judges of the Republic. Additionally, the office reminded that Congress had not approved the legal framework intended to serve as the basis for a potential collective surrender within the urban peace process. Despite this, the outgoing government urged representatives of the criminal organization to maintain their willingness to abandon illegal activities and pursue available institutional avenues. Castor, however, has chosen to approach the new government directly. In his communication to De La Espriella and Cancino, he requested the establishment of a dialogue table that would allow negotiations for a surrender process with guaranteed legal and institutional protections. According to the document, such a mechanism would facilitate the demobilization of approximately 2,000 members who, according to Castor, belong to the criminal organization. As justification for his request, the leader claims that during previous outreach efforts with the former administration, there were reductions in criminal activities, including the suspension of extortion, selective homicides, and attacks against public security forces. On the legal front, Castor proposed that the new government consider applying benefits similar to those outlined in the Law of Justice and Peace. His request references modifications introduced by Law 2272 of 2022, which incorporated the figure of Organized Armed Structures of High-Impact Crime into the comprehensive peace policy. This proposal aligns with Castor’s current legal situation, having been sentenced to more than 26 years in prison last March following a preliminary agreement with the Attorney General’s Office. In that process, he admitted responsibility for at least 95 homicides and other violent acts committed between 2014 and 2024 in Barranquilla and its surrounding areas. Other leaders within "Los Costeños" have also expressed interest in pursuing a surrender. While specific names have not been disclosed, the broader movement suggests that multiple factions within the organization are seeking pathways toward legal resolution. This includes exploring mechanisms that could provide amnesty or reduced sentences in exchange for cooperation with authorities. The situation highlights ongoing tensions between criminal groups and state institutions, particularly as new administrations take power and reassess existing policies. While the Office of Peace has emphasized the need to proceed through formal legal processes, figures like Castor argue that alternative frameworks, such as those previously used in rural peace agreements, are necessary to ensure a structured and secure transition. The response from the incoming government will likely determine whether these discussions lead to further negotiations or remain confined to legal proceedings alone. Castor’s letter underscores the complex interplay between political transitions, legal frameworks, and the aspirations of criminal organizations seeking legitimacy through surrender. With the new administration set to assume power soon, the coming weeks will reveal whether the call for dialogue finds traction or remains another step in the prolonged struggle over justice and reconciliation in Colombia’s urban centers.