Colombia’s new president approves extradition of rebel leaders to US
Colombia’s new right-wing president, Abelardo de la Espriella, has approved the extradition of five rebel armed group members who are wanted in the US on drug-related charges. The move is a step towards ending a plan by his left-wing predecessor Gustavo Petro who tried to end the violence that has plagued Colombia for decades by [...] The post Colombia’s new president approves extradition of…
Abelardo de la Espriella, Colombia's newly appointed right-wing president, has given the green light for the extradition of five rebel members facing drug charges in the United States. This action comes after his predecessor, Gustavo Petro, attempted to end Colombia's decades-long violence by negotiating with armed groups and criminals.
De la Espriella emphasized that peace cannot be used as a shield for criminals or a way to avoid accountability. He also criticized Petro's peace plan, stating it allowed criminals to escape while failing to secure their cooperation. The extradition targets are members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) dissident factions and the Gulf Clan, a major Colombian drug trafficking organization.
Only two individuals are currently in Colombian custody; the remaining three are at large. The extraditions were initially approved by Petro in 2025, but were paused as the men participated in his peace initiatives. De la Espriella has pledged US President Donald Trump to intensify the fight against drug trafficking in Latin America.
The US administration has made combating drug trafficking in the region a top priority. Known for producing the world's largest amount of cocaine, Colombia has maintained close ties with Washington; however, Petro's contentious stance against US military strikes on drug-smuggling vessels strained those relations.
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