Colombia is intensifying its fight against drug trafficking with a new round of rewards, offering over $1.25 million USD for facts leading to the capture of three alleged cartel leaders. The move comes amid renewed U.S.-Colombia cooperation following a recent White house meeting between President Petro and former President Trump, where discussions reportedly included a list of drug kingpins provided by Colombia [[2]]. This joint effort signals a commitment to targeting both the financial and violent elements driving the drug trade, following a period of strained intelligence sharing [[3]], though Colombia maintains its collaboration with the U.S. [[1]].
Colombia’s Defense Ministry announced Wednesday a reward of 5 billion pesos – roughly $1.25 million USD – for information leading to the capture of three alleged drug trafficking leaders, escalating efforts to dismantle criminal organizations within the country.
The individuals sought are known by the aliases “Chiquito Malo,” a leader within the Clan del Golfo cartel; “Pablito,” a commander of the ELN cartel; and “Mordisco,” a leader of a dissident faction, according to the ministry.
The announcement comes just one day after a meeting between Colombian President Gustavo Petro and former U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, signaling continued cooperation between the two nations on combating drug trafficking.
“One of the pillars of international cooperation between the United States and Colombia is the decisive action against all ‘capos’ or ‘high-value targets’ involved in drug trafficking, without any distinction,” said Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez. “This includes both the so-called ‘invisible capos,’ who operate clandestinely as financial and criminal masterminds from abroad, and the ‘armed capos’ responsible for generating violence and directly affecting our communities within the national territory.”
Sánchez stated that Colombia and the United States have jointly prioritized a series of high-value targets “in accordance with the law,” with rewards offered for the capture of these three leaders being a key component. The move underscores the commitment of both countries to disrupting the operations of major criminal organizations.
Regarding “Chiquito Malo,” the Defense Ministry noted that any existing capture warrant could be suspended only “during the displacement of members of the armed group towards the Temporary Location Zone (ZUT), in accordance with Resolution 274 of December 24, 2025, issued by the Commissioner for Peace.”
Sánchez also issued a call for all members of armed groups to demobilize, offering a potential path away from criminal activity.
