Colombia’s New President Dismantles ‘Total Peace’, Signs Extraditions
COLOMBIA · POLITICS & SECURITY
Key Facts
- —What happened Colombia’s new President Abelardo de la Espriella signed extradition orders for five drug traffickers linked to the previous government’s peace talks.
- —How big The president also closed three negotiation tables and claims 41 extradition orders signed in his first 19 days in office.
- —What it means The moves dismantle “Total Peace,” the signature negotiation policy of former President Gustavo Petro, in favor of a tougher security line.
- —The catch Only the extradition orders are signed; none of the five men has been confirmed physically transferred to U.S. custody yet.
- —Who it affects Three of the five men are in Colombian prisons; two remain fugitives at large and would be sent once captured.
- —What comes next Former President Petro publicly defended his record, setting up a political clash with his successor.
Colombia’s new right-wing president is rapidly dismantling his predecessor’s “Total Peace” policy, signing extradition orders for five traffickers who once sat at government negotiation tables.
Colombia’s new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, has signed extradition orders for five drug traffickers who once negotiated with the state under his predecessor’s “Total Peace” policy. The move, announced Aug 26-27, marks the most concrete step yet in the new administration’s rapid dismantling of that flagship program.
De la Espriella, a conservative who took office Aug 7, 2026, succeeding Gustavo Petro, is reversing course on a policy that defined the previous government. The five men are described by multiple outlets as former negotiators or representatives in Petro’s peace process with armed groups.
A New Administration Reverses Its Predecessor
De la Espriella won the June 21, 2026 presidential runoff with 49.66% of the vote, narrowly beating Iván Cepeda’s 48.70%. Cepeda was the candidate preferred by Petro, whose term ended with the Aug 7 inauguration in Cali.
The new president’s actions echo a campaign pledge from the right-wing bloc. Reuters reported in May that candidate Paloma Valencia vowed to end “Total Peace” and replace it with what she called “Total Security.”
De la Espriella has embraced that same stance since taking office.
What Was “Total Peace”?
Petro’s flagship security policy sought negotiated demobilization with armed groups, including FARC dissident factions, the ELN guerrilla group, and Clan del Golfo, Colombia’s largest drug-trafficking network. It favored talks over pure military confrontation.
The policy was already weakening before the transition. The Rio Times reported in April that Petro’s own team had described the two remaining active tracks as closed or collapsed.
Some officials were calling “Total Peace” over even before Petro left office.
A Rolling Dismantlement, Not a Single Stroke
The end of Total Peace unfolded over about a week rather than in one dramatic announcement. On Aug 26, De la Espriella said he had signed the five extradition orders.
The next day, UPI framed it as a “definitive end” to the plan.
But El País reported Aug 28 that the founding decrees creating the negotiation tables had not yet been formally repealed at that point. On paper, the tables still legally existed even as extraditions were announced.
Concrete closures followed on Aug 28. El País reported Aug 31 that De la Espriella had formally closed three dialogue tables via resolutions signed that day.
Estrella Digital counted nine resolutions in total, closing two peace tables and one “socio-legal” conversation space.
The Five Men Named in the Orders
Geovanny Andrés Rojas, alias “Araña,” led the Comandos de la Frontera group and was a key negotiator in the Total Peace talks. His extradition was approved by Colombia’s Supreme Court in Oct 2025 but suspended while he negotiated.
Semana reports he remains at La Picota prison “awaiting transfer” as of Sept 2.
Willington Henao Gutiérrez, alias “El Mocho Olmedo,” commanded Front 33 of the FARC dissidence and was arrested in 2025. His extradition had been delayed due to his negotiator role.
Carmen Evelio Castillo Carrillo, alias “Muñeca,” is tied to the Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra Nevada structure and is in custody. His brother, Fredy Castillo Carrillo, alias “Pinocho,” belongs to the same armed group but was still a fugitive when the order was signed.
Gabriel Yepes Mejía, alias “H.H.,” is linked to Comuneros del Sur, an ELN dissident faction. His extradition was previously approved by Colombia’s Supreme Court, and he was a fugitive when the order was signed.
Orders Signed, Transfers Pending
Of the five, three were in Colombian custody when the order was announced: Rojas, Henao Gutiérrez, and Carmen Evelio Castillo Carrillo. The other two, Fredy Castillo Carrillo and Yepes Mejía, remain at large and would be extradited upon capture.
No source through Sept 2 confirms any of the five has been physically flown to the United States. The orders were signed Aug 26-27, but the actual transfers remain unconfirmed and pending.
Rojas, for instance, is still reported at La Picota prison awaiting transfer.
Petro Fights Back Publicly
The former president has not gone quietly. Infobae reported Aug 30 that Petro publicly defended his Total Peace record after the tables closed.
Petro said the policy “saved thousands of lives.”
The exchange sets up a live political conflict between the two men. It is now a clash between a former president and his successor, not a struggle within one government.
De la Espriella, for his part, claims 41 extradition orders signed in his first 19 days in office.
More: Colombia news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Abelardo de la Espriella?
He is Colombia’s sitting president, inaugurated Aug 7, 2026, for the 2026-2030 term. He won the June runoff with 49.66% of the vote, succeeding Gustavo Petro.
What was the “Total Peace” policy?
It was former President Petro’s flagship security strategy of negotiating demobilization with armed groups rather than relying on military force. De la Espriella has been dismantling it since taking office.
Have the five men been extradited to the United States?
No. Only the extradition orders have been signed; physical transfer to U.S. custody is not yet confirmed as of the latest reporting on Sept 2.
Who are the five men facing extradition?
They are Geovanny Andrés Rojas, Willington Henao Gutiérrez, Carmen Evelio Castillo Carrillo, Fredy Castillo Carrillo, and Gabriel Yepes Mejía, all linked to armed groups that negotiated under Total Peace.
How did the policy end?
It was a rolling process across late August, with three dialogue tables formally closed by resolutions signed Aug 28. Some outlets called it a “definitive end” a day before others noted the tables were still technically open on paper.
Sources: Reuters, Associated Press, CNN, NPR, Le Monde English, UPI, Infobae, El País, DW, Anadolu Agency, Semana, Estrella Digital, Ground News, Rio Times, Edelman analysis, Wikipedia.
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