Colombia’s largest drug cartel has ruled out signing a final peace agreement with President Gustavo Petro’s government, casting doubt on the viability of his flagship “Paz Total” initiative.
The Clan del Golfo, designated a terrorist organization by the United States and responsible for trafficking the majority of Colombia’s cocaine production, said through its lawyer Ricardo Giraldo that reaching a definitive peace accord with Petro’s administration is “impossible.”
The cartel has been engaged in peace talks since September of last year under the Paz Total framework, which aims to end Colombia’s last active armed conflict. While negotiations are taking place in Qatar without a formal ceasefire, some of the group’s estimated 10,000 fighters have temporarily halted hostilities in agreed-upon zones.
Giraldo emphasized that the organization’s goal is not to reach a deal solely with Petro’s government but to ensure the peace process continues with the Colombian state beyond Petro’s term, which ends on August 7. He stated that the talks, though they began late, have progressed in a “strengthened” manner and yielded “important advances.”
Colombia will hold presidential elections on May 31 to choose Petro’s successor, with security concerns playing a prominent role in the campaign.
