What Petro can achieve in furthering peace will determine whether the enthusiasm that propelled him to victory will quickly turn into disillusionment and whether Colombia’s peace process will sink or swim.
The world’s great powers have real and tangible impacts on Colombia. The next President of Colombia must engage in thoughtful, strategic planning to understand Colombia’s role in an increasingly tense geopolitical environment.
Last Friday, the helicopter of President of Colombia Iván Duque was struck by multiple bullets as it approached the airport of the city of Cúcuta, capital of the Norte de Santander region, located on the Venezuelan border. No passengers were injured by the small-arms fire, although Duque’s government released photographs showing the helicopter’s exterior lacerated by bullet holes. The attack occurred in the context of escalating levels of violence in Colombia—as the landmark 2016 peace deal signed with the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) lurches unsteadily toward its fifth anniversary—and record-low approval ratings for President Duque.
Although Iván Duque still has 14 months left in his term as President of Colombia, all indicators suggest that his post-presidential influence will be significantly diminished compared to that of other former presidents. Actions taken during his tenure—including the timid implementation of the peace agreement, the escalation of violence in rural areas, and the violent police crackdown on recent protests—have already begun to cloud assessments of his presidency. Is there still time for Duque to salvage his legacy?
The death of Javier Ordóñez in Colombia has sparked social unrest that reveals frustrations that go far beyond police brutality.
Since the disarming of the FARC two-and-a-half years ago, the actors, figures and methods have changed. But the conclusion is clear: drug trafficking in Colombia is more alive than ever before.
Gustavo Petro has reasons to be optimistic after his defeat. The left has a new presence in Colombian politics and could emerge stronger for the next elections.
The recent targeting of rural community leaders is not a repeat of the bloodletting against the UP. The motives, causes and actors are different.
The peace agreement in Colombia may mark the end of the hemisphere’s longest running civil war. Let’s face it: being witness to an historical moment like this is exciting, even if there are difficulties ahead.
Conversations with Colombian security officials reveal concerns that Colombia’s peace agreement, if approved and implemented, may in the short term lead to greater violence, as former FARC members defect to the ELN and join in criminal and violent activities. How should Colombia, the U.S, and the EU prepare?
