Bogotá – A public dispute between Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Attorney General Luz Adriana Camargo threatens to derail ongoing peace talks with armed groups, as authorities investigate leaked files from captured dissident leader “calarcá.” Petro has publicly accused Camargo of obstructing the negotiations, alleging concerns over potential inclusion on the U.S. Kingpin List, while simultaneously highlighting recent progress in talks focusing on ending the recruitment of child soldiers and illicit crop replacement programs. The escalating tension raises questions about the future of Petro’s “Total Peace” initiative and the delicate balance between accountability and reconciliation in Colombia’s decades-long conflict.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has accused the country’s Attorney General, Luz Adriana Camargo, of hindering peace negotiations with dissident armed groups, a move that comes as authorities examine files seized from a key figure known as “Calarcá.” The escalating tensions between the executive and judicial branches threaten to complicate ongoing efforts to achieve lasting peace in several regions of Colombia.
Petro stated that his government “has lost support from the attorney general, who is concerned about her inclusion on the Clinton List,” adding that Camargo should instead be “advancing the socio-legal solution to the armed conflict” in various areas. The Clinton List, formally known as the Kingpin Act, designates individuals and entities involved in international narcotics trafficking.
The president’s comments came as he highlighted progress made during the seventh cycle of peace talks with the Calarcá group. According to Petro, agreements reached include a commitment to end the recruitment of minors under the age of 18. “In the seventh cycle of negotiations with ‘Calarcá’ and his people… it was agreed to cease the recruitment of minors under 18 years of age, that is, to end the recruitment of minors and release their communities,” he said, adding that the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF) will provide support.
Petro also pointed to advancements in efforts to replace illicit crops, stating that the negotiations included a pledge of support for his government’s program to revitalize the Amazon rainforest by converting coca cultivation areas back into forest.
The president also voiced support for including individuals he termed “merchants of death” – those who treat human beings as mercenaries – on the Clinton List, aligning himself with former U.S. President Donald Trump on the matter. Petro referenced files seized from “alias Calarcá” and the agreements reached at the conclusion of the seventh cycle in the peace process with the dissident group.
The Attorney General’s office has not yet responded to Petro’s accusations. The case highlights the delicate balance between pursuing justice for past crimes and fostering reconciliation through peace negotiations. Questions remain about the fate of individuals named in conversations attributed to “Calarcá.”
Meanwhile, the military and surveillance agencies are under scrutiny following the scandal surrounding “Calarcá.” The Technical Investigation Corps (CTI) is currently inspecting facilities within the army and surveillance apparatus as part of the investigation.
