A recent military operation in Guaviare, Colombia, authorized by President Gustavo Petro, has sparked intense debate and scrutiny following the deaths of twenty alleged FARC dissidents, including seven children. The operation,targeting a group led by Iván Mordisco,has drawn criticism from both political opponents and human rights organizations who question weather international laws governing armed conflict were adequately observed.President Petro is now defending his decision, asserting the operation was a necessary measure against armed combatants, while investigations are underway to determine the full circumstances surrounding the deaths of the minors and ensure adherence to legal protocols.
Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro is defending the military operation he authorized November 11 that resulted in the deaths of twenty alleged dissidents from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), including seven children who had been recruited by the guerrilla group.
Petro addressed mounting criticism in an extensive statement posted to social media, asserting that he is the target of “unfounded criticisms.”
“I must clarify what International Humanitarian Law (IHL) says regarding child combatants. It is not true that I broke the principle of distinction,” Petro wrote. “In the deep jungle where the bombing took place, it was impossible to do so: there were no civilians in the area.”
The president rejected comparisons between the Colombian military strike and bombings in Gaza, or actions taken by former U.S. President Donald Trump against boats in the Caribbean Sea. The operation has sparked debate about the rules of engagement and the protection of children in conflict zones.
“In those other locations, only unarmed civilians have been bombed, and with far more lethal weapons than those we used. It is not comparable to the bombing of the Mordisco columns, which were armed and actively on the offensive,” Petro said, referring to the operation targeting dissidents led by Iván Mordisco, Colombia’s most wanted man.
“The Mordisco columns consisted only of combatants, and we were unaware of the presence of minors,” he added.
Colombia’s Public Defender’s Office and Forensic Medicine Institute confirmed Saturday the deaths of four girls and three boys in the Guaviare operation, intensifying opposition calls for accountability.
Petro defended his authorization of the bombing, stating it was a “lethal option” he has used twelve times during his three years in office. He said he consistently seeks intelligence to determine the presence of minors when possible, and only authorizes such operations when leaders or key figures are present and engaged in offensive actions against society and the state.
De la oposición de izquierda a mi gobierno ha surgido una fuerte crítica por el bombardeo en Guaviare.
Debo responder unas críticas infundadas y mostrar lo que dice el Derecho Internacional Humanitario sobre el menor combatante.
No es cierto que rompí el principio de…
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) November 16, 2025
“I will continue to make decisions regarding bombings that adhere to these IHL characteristics, whenever I can save more lives than are at risk,” Petro stated.
Critics, including former Colombian President Ernesto Samper, have drawn parallels between the deaths of the children in Guaviare and civilian casualties in other conflicts. Samper asserted, “There is no difference between the seven children killed by the official bombings in Guaviare, the thousands of innocents sacrificed by the genocidal Israeli fire in Gaza, and the murdered crew members of the sunken boats destroyed by the crushing nuclear fire of the U.S. naval fleet in Venezuelan Caribbean waters.”
“Indiscriminate bombings, without establishing potential damage to the civilian population – especially when it comes to children – are absolutely prohibited by International Humanitarian Law,” Samper added.
Los bombardeos indiscriminados, sin establecer previamente los posibles daños a la población civil -especialmente cuando se trata de niños- están absolutamente prohibidos por el Derecho Internacional Humanitario. No hay ninguna diferencia entre los 7 niños muertos por los…
— Ernesto Samper Pizano (@ernestosamperp) November 16, 2025
Colombia’s Attorney General’s Office for Military and Police Criminal Matters announced Monday the opening of an investigation into the military operation in Guaviare.
“The institution undertakes this process with the utmost legal and technical rigor, with the purpose of objectively verifying whether the actions employed by members of the public force complied with the principles and rules that govern the legitimate use of force in the context of armed conflict,” the office said in a statement.
The office reiterated its “respect for due process, the presumption of innocence, and the legitimacy of the actions of the public force within the framework of its operations.”
