De la Espriella sets ten armed group leaders as his target for his first 90 days

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has vowed to take down ten leaders of illegal armed groups within the first 90 days of his presidency, starting on Friday in Cali. This pledge forms the core of his "shock plan" aimed at shifting away from his predecessor's approach of negotiating with these groups. According to security force estimates, Colombia is grappling with nearly 29,000 members of organized armed groups, with active dispute zones in key regions such as Catatumbo, Arauca, Cauca, Nariño, Putumayo, and Guaviare.

The key figures targeted include Néstor Gregorio Vera Fernández, known as Iván Mordisco, head of the self-proclaimed Estado Mayor Central; Alexander Díaz Mendoza, alias Calarcá Córdoba, leader of the Estado Mayor de los Bloques y Frente; Jobanis de Jesús Ávila, alias Chiquito Malo, chief of the Clan del Golfo; and commanders of the 33rd Front and the National Liberation Army's Northeastern War Front in Catatumbo.

Despite none of these individuals having been convicted of the crimes they are accused of, de la Espriella has given them a one-month deadline for capture during a visit to Cúcuta. The initial outcomes materialized over the weekend, with the killing of alias Ruso or Alemán in a joint operation by military intelligence and air force, and at least five alleged members of the Carlos Patiño structure dying in a clash in rural El Tambo, Cauca.

However, International Crisis Group has cautioned that such a strategy could lead to increased violence, as decapitating these organizations often results in fragmentation and internal disputes over territory control. The international organization's deputy director for Latin America, Elizabeth Dickinson, noted that the Colombian forces are already operating at the limit of their capacity.