Colombia faces a resurgence in violence as armed groups exploit President Gustavo Petro’s faltering peace strategy, undermining the gains from the 2016 peace deal with the FARC, former President Juan Manuel Santos has warned in an interview with The Guardian. Santos, who architectured the historic peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), expressed deep concern over the deteriorating security situation and the growth of armed factions exploiting the government’s disorder to strengthen their grip and expand their territory. These factions, often little more than local mafias, have capitalized on the chaos to recruit new members and seize control in areas once dominated by the FARC. Despite Petro’s ambitious “Total Peace” strategy aimed at talks with all major armed groups, negotiations have yielded minimal progress, marked by suspensions and little tangible impact. The violence has surged, with significant activity near the Venezuelan border where the National Liberation Army (ELN) launched an offensive in January, resulting in casualties and displacement of thousands. Santos criticized Petro’s approach as ill-prepared and improvisational, arguing that the complexity of dealing with multiple armed groups requires detailed planning, clear objectives, and a deeper understanding of each group’s nature and leadership. He also lamented the legitimacy inadvertently granted to many of these smaller groups through negotiations, which Santos argued can be counterproductive. The former president pointed out that while his peace deal with the FARC received international acclaim and laid the groundwork for notable reductions in violence, the subsequent administration of Iván Duque failed to implement the necessary actions to consolidate peace. Now, as Petro struggles to steer the peace process, Santos remains critical of the current strategy, emphasizing the need for a more robust and meticulous approach to address the complex realities of engaging with Colombia’s myriad armed groups.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/26/colombia-violence-juan-manuel-santos