{
  "id": 19692175,
  "title": "Minor Recruitment Soars 152% as Terrorism Cases Quadruple Under De la Espriella",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/12/minor-recruitment-soars-152-as-terrorism-cases-quadruple-under-de-la",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-12T18:45:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Colombia One",
    "slug": "colombia-one",
    "url": "https://colombiaone.com/2026/11/12/minor-recruitment-soars-terrorism-cases-quadruple-de-la-espriella/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the first 90 days of Abelardo de la Espriella's administration, illegal recruitment of minors by armed groups surged by 152%, while terrorist attacks more than quadrupled according to reports from the Ministry of Defense. Despite his administration's promises to restore territorial control, the data reveal significant challenges in curbing violence from illegal armed groups.\n\nThe report highlights a troubling increase in the illegal recruitment of children and adolescents by armed organizations, rising from 52 cases during the same period under Gustavo Petro's administration to 131 cases in De la Espriella's early government tenure. This represents a staggering 152% jump, underscoring the persistence of one of the most egregious practices linked to Colombia's armed conflict.\n\nForced recruitment exposes minors to an environment of violence where they may engage in surveillance, transport weapons, gather intelligence, or participate directly in armed operations. Employing threats, deception, and exploiting communities' poverty and vulnerability, these organizations coerce young individuals into participating in armed activities.",
  "summary": "The first 90 days of Abelardo de la Espriella’s administration have produced a security record that contrasts with the tough-on-crime rhetoric and promises to restore territorial control that accompanied his rise to power, one of the new government’s main priorities. Between August 7 and November 5, the illegal recruitment of minors increased by 152%, while […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}