Arrest warrant for former leader of terrorist organization FARC in Colombia: Is the ceasefire ending?

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has ordered the capture of Ivan Mordisco, one of the leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), with whom he has suspended ceasefire negotiations.

Speaking at an event, Petro announced that he had instructed the army to capture Mordisco, the leader of the Estado Mayor Central (EMC)—the umbrella organization of FARC, which made peace with the state in 2016 but includes groups that rejected the peace deal—"alive."

Stating that they want Mordisco to be held accountable before the law, Petro said, "I want Ivan Mordisco to be captured alive, not killed. They supposedly supported me in the 2022 presidential elections. I want these allegations to be clarified."

Reminding the audience that he was also a former militant, Petro emphasized that weapons were laid down 30 years ago and that peace was chosen.

Threatening the armed members of the EMC, President Petro stated, "You need to know how to make a decision now. Either you follow the path of Pablo Escobar, in which case the state will confront you, or you enter the path of serving the people."

EMC leader Mordisco had said on March 20, regarding Petro's presidential campaign, "Petro accuses me of being riffraff. He didn't accuse us with such expressions when we supported him in his election campaign."

CEASEFIRE NEGOTIATIONS HAD BEEN FROZEN

The EMC attacked indigenous leaders in the town of Toribio in the Cauca department on March 16, killing one community leader and wounding three others.

Following the incident, the government reacted to the attack and suspended the ceasefire negotiations being conducted with the EMC.

EMC IS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION

The EMC, led by Nestor Gregorio Vera, codenamed 'Ivan Mordisco,' and which does not accept the peace agreement between FARC and the state, is also referred to as the so-called 'General Staff' of FARC.

According to the national press, the EMC, which has more than 3,500 members, 2,180 of whom are armed, operates in the west, center, and east of Colombia, as well as in Venezuela and Ecuador, and obtains financing through methods such as drug trafficking, smuggling, and extortion.

The peace agreement that ended the conflicts between FARC and the state, which lasted more than 50 years, was signed by the then-President of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos and former FARC leader Rodrigo Londono at the historic Colon Theater in the capital Bogota on November 24, 2016.

Despite the peace agreement between the state and FARC, some former commanders and FARC members who fell out with the organization continue their armed actions.

EMC members also rejected the peace agreement signed with the state in November 2016 and continued their attacks.

News Source: AA