The InSight Take: Colombia’s Total Peace: What Went Wrong and What Comes Next?
The InSight Take: Colombia’s Total Peace: What Went Wrong and What Comes Next? Colombia’s armed groups nearly doubled in size during Gustavo Petro’s Total Peace plan. Managing Editor Deborah Bonello and Co-Founder Jeremy McDermott examine what it actually delivered, and whether President Abelardo de la Espriella’s militarized turn will do any better, when history suggests otherwise. The post The…
When Gustavo Petro assumed office in August 2022, pledging to negotiate an end to Colombia's six-decade-long conflict, the nation's illegal armed groups were estimated to have around 15,000 members combined. Upon his departure, the number had surged to nearly 29,000. This marked a significant increase during Petro's tenure, fueling discussions about the effectiveness of his Total Peace plan.
The rise in group membership has been used to argue that the negotiations were naive and that the subsequent militarized approach of President Alevardo de la Espriella is a necessary response. Deborah Bonello, managing editor of InSight Crime, is joined by Jeremy McDermott, the co-founder and co-director, who has lived in Colombia for over three decades, to examine the shortcomings of Total Peace and the prospects of President Espriella's approach.
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