They laid down arms. Now ex-guerrillas in Colombia fear fate under new hardline president
Former guerrilla fighters in Colombia who disarmed under a previous peace initiative now face uncertainty under the new administration of President Abelardo de la Espriella. The new government has rejected the 'total peace' strategy in favor of a more aggressive approach against criminal groups.
Why it matters
This shift in policy threatens the stability of the peace process and the safety of individuals who surrendered their weapons in good faith.
Tattoo of a former combatant now in a designated zone in Colombia under the ‘total peace’ plan. Tattoo of a former combatant now in a designated zone in Colombia under the ‘total peace’ plan. Colombia They laid down arms. Now ex-guerrillas in Colombia fear fate under new hardline president ‘Total peace’ plan of previous government led only 99 of Colombia’s 30,000 armed combatants to disarm, but new president Abelardo De la Espriella opposes peace agreements
Prefer the Guardian on Google I n mid-June, 99 guerrilla fighters were flown by helicopter to a small settlement in a rural area of southern Colombia where they lined up and, one by one, handed their weapons to government officials: rifles, pistols, machine guns and grenade launchers.
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