De la Espriella declares all criminal groups in Colombia ‘terrorists’ in sweeping security crackdown

Colombia's President Abelardo De La Espriella has declared that all criminal organizations in the country will be classified as terrorist groups, marking a toughening of the government's security policies following his recent inauguration. Speaking at a security council meeting in Barranquilla, De La Espriella announced that distinctions between criminal groups involved in drug trafficking, mining, extortion, and smuggling would no longer be made.

He emphasized that all criminal organizations must be treated under a single designation, "terrorist groups". De La Espriella stressed that there are no differences in the State's actions or responses towards these organizations, regardless of their name, structure or specific criminal activities. The president argued that the criminal economies are interconnected, with narcotics trafficking financing other illicit activities.

Therefore, the Colombian Public Force should act as a unified body, without rivalries between institutions, under a single banner. Measures announced include the formation of a National Search Bloc against Extortion, reactivation of the national rewards system, raids, and the transfer of prisoners accused of coordinating criminal activities from inside Colombian prisons.

De La Espriella also called for greater cooperation between the financial system, police, and the Financial Information and Analysis Unit to combat criminal finances. The strategy will focus on the entire criminal ecosystem rather than separating its components. The new approach extends beyond traditional armed groups and includes measures against irregular migration and foreign criminality.