Colombia Opens New Peace Talks with Nation’s Biggest Drug Gang

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has revealed that his government has begun fresh negotiations with Clan del Golfo — the country’s largest drug-trafficking network and the world’s leading cocaine producer.

“We have initiated conversations outside Colombia with the self-named Gaitanista Army,” Petro announced during an event in Cordoba, about 180 miles (289 kilometres) west of the capital, Bogota. He did not disclose further details about the discussions.

Clan del Golfo, whose 7,500 members identify as the Gaitanista Army of Colombia, traces its roots to right-wing paramilitary forces. The group insists on being recognised as a political movement, seeking judicial treatment similar to that granted to guerrillas and former paramilitary squads.

The talks come just weeks after Petro’s government submitted a controversial bill to Congress proposing reduced prison sentences, non-extradition guarantees, and other incentives for armed criminal organisations willing to disarm. Petro, who has been in office since 2022, has previously attempted — without success — to reach disarmament deals with various militant groups.

The challenge is immense. United Nations figures estimate that Colombia has 253,000 hectares (625,000 acres) under coca cultivation, a record high. Security forces have been carrying out a major offensive to rein in drug traffickers.

Clan del Golfo’s international notoriety is well established. The group was designated a terrorist organisation by US President Donald Trump through an executive order early in his second term. The United Nations has also condemned it for recruiting children into its operations.

Colombia’s close ties with Washington are now under strain. The country’s certification as a US ally in the war on drugs is up for renewal in September — and failure could mean losing crucial American aid.

Meanwhile, US media reported Friday that Trump has ordered the US military to prepare for possible strikes against Latin American drug cartels, including Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua and Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel.

Relations between Bogota and Washington have soured sharply since Trump returned to the White House earlier this year. Last month, the US recalled its top diplomat in Bogota over undisclosed “offending” remarks. The month before, Petro accused the United States and “right-wing extremists” of plotting to remove him from power.