Colombian President Gustavo Petro recently announced the partial suspension of the bilateral ceasefire between the government and the dissident group known as the Estado Mayor Central (EMC), a faction of the demobilized Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP) guerrilla group. The decision was prompted by the tragic murder of four Indigenous children in the Putumayo department who had been forcibly recruited by the EMC in March.
President Petro condemned the killings as a heinous act and emphasized that such crimes could not be justified. Consequently, he announced the suspension of the bilateral ceasefire with the EMC in the departments of Meta, Caquetá, Guaviare, and Putumayo, along with the reactivation of offensive operations.
Despite the suspension, President Petro extended an invitation to the EMC-FARC to validate the participation of its delegates in local mechanisms where the ceasefire remains in effect. He acknowledged the positive impact of the ceasefire in other territories, where it prevented harm to the lives and well-being of residents.
Furthermore, the president revealed that the government would soon disclose the names of its delegation members for peace talks with the EMC-FARC, aiming to initiate the dialogue phase promptly. Among the issues to be addressed at the negotiating table, Petro highlighted the reinforcement of territorial ceasefires and the pursuit of social and environmental justice as integral components of peace.
President Petro reiterated his commitment to bringing peace to violence-stricken areas, expressing solidarity with communities that have long been denied their rights. The government aims to address their pleas for justice and an end to armed violence by working towards comprehensive presence and engagement in all territories alongside the affected communities.
Led by Iván Mordisco, the EMC group comprises approximately 3,000 combatants who rejected the 2016 Havana Peace Agreement, which facilitated the FARC rebels' disarmament and transition to a political party. The Petro government initiated a six-month bilateral ceasefire with the EMC on December 31, 2023, which commenced on January 1 and is scheduled to remain in effect until June 30. Peace talks between the parties were initially planned for May 16 but were postponed due to delays in suspending arrest warrants for certain guerrilla spokespersons.