President Gustavo Petro. File Picture.
Bogota: The Gulf Clan, Colombia’s top drug trafficking gang, and the government have broken their cease-fire, president Gustavo Petro announced on Monday.
As per reports, Petro accused the underworld of “sowing fear and anxiety” and gave the security forces orders to resume armed operations against the criminal organisation.
The president’s “total peace” strategy for Colombia included the ceasefire, which was agreed upon in December.
Its termination is a serious setback for Petro’s efforts to put a stop to hostilities.
His approach differs significantly from that of Iv?n Duque, who took office before him and attempted to bring about peace by stepping up military operations against Colombia’s illegal armed organisations.
Instead, Petro is attempting to reach a peace agreement with numerous crime organisations.
The Gulf Clan, as well as rebels from the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissidents from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), among others, had all agreed to a bilateral truce on December 31, 2022, according to the government.
But over the past week, President Petro has charged the Gulf Clan with violating the cease-fire, holding it responsible for an assault on an aqueduct, and claiming it sparked unrest among artisanal gold miners.
He also claimed in a tweet that Gulf Clan members had fired at police personnel.
“There will no longer be a cease-fire with the Gulf Clan as of right now. The structures of this mafia organisation must be promptly attacked by the security forces “He composed.
Henry Sanabria, the leader of Colombia’s police, announced that more officers would be mobilised and dispatched to the regions where the Gulf Clan is most active.
The cartel is active in many Colombian provinces and has developed relationships with other foreign gangs with whom it works to smuggle drugs from Colombia to the US and as far as Russia.
Additionally, it is involved in illicit gold mining and people trafficking.
Gulf Clan’s organisation was weakened by the arrest of its leader, Dairo Antonio suga, also known as Otoniel, in 2021, but the group’s cells have continued to function.
As long as the Gulf Clan continues to commit crimes, President Petro has stated that there is “clearly no chance of negotiation.”
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