Latest news with #M-19
The Hill
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Rule by guerrillero: Petro's Colombia is reversing the logic of justice
Former Colombian president Álvaro Uribe was sentenced to twelve years of house arrest earlier this month for alleged bribery and procedural fraud — a sentence he denounced as a political sham. It might just seem like a classic case of leaders weaponizing the judiciary against the political opposition. But it has an even darker twist to it, as the recent shooting death of the main opposition candidate for president, Miguel Uribe (no relation), demonstrates. In a nation now governed by former communist guerrillas, those who once fought against a narco-insurgency are being confined, whereas the kingpins who trafficked the drugs and roiled the nation with violence are being ushered into palaces and introduced into the vocabulary of reform. The threat in Colombia no longer radiates from stateless cartels and guerrilla armies in the jungle, but from Colombia's very presidency. For the U.S., partnership without strategic recalibration is no longer viable. Under Petro, a former M-19 guerrillero, Colombia's Ministry of Justice is giving away the store to his leftist friends and allies who did so much damage during their decades-long insurgency. It has proposed revisions to the 2005 Justice and Peace Law that extend benefits to narco-commanders, urban mafia leaders, and recidivists. Sentences for these would drop to a maximum of eight years, served not in maximum-security prisons but in 'agricultural colonies' — low-security compounds where their paramilitary command structures can persist. Confession and disarmament, once the moral core of these dangerous groups' demobilization, have been displaced by bureaucratic compliance — enrollment in 'territorial transformation' programs and good-conduct certificates. Under Petro, criminality is no longer being dismantled — it is instead being reclassified. The policy's symbolism is as revealing as its clauses. Petro recently shared a state stage with leaders of Medellín's most violent armed groups — some of them escorted from prison, one even addressing the crowd. Several had served five years, making them eligible for release under the proposed framework. To add insult to injury, the proposals would allow narcos who surrender assets to retain up to 12 percent of their ill-gotten gains. This will allow the nation's worst criminals to launder, legally, hundreds of billions of pesos into protected capital, labeled as reparation. Petro got himself elected despite being chummy with these criminals. This year, he made an unannounced visit to Manta, Ecuador — a trafficking hub associated with Los Choneros. Journalists reported a clandestine meeting with that organization's fugitive drug lord. Petro declined to answer questions about it directly and never released his itinerary. Colombian authorities did not investigate. To understand the pattern, one must trace M-19's relationship with drug trafficking. At first, they sought to selectively extort drug traffickers by kidnapping them. When the paramilitary group MAS formed in response to strike back violently, M-19 risked annihilation. So it adopted a strategy of leveraging the narco-economy instead. By 1985, that posture had matured into an alignment. In a covert pact with Pablo Escobar, M-19 received $2 million to storm the Supreme Court and destroy extradition records. Escobar supplied explosives and the late drug lord Fidel Castaño supplied rifles. More than 100 people died, including half of the justices. At that point, the boundaries between insurgency and narco-terrorism collapsed. Their joint logistics reinforced the fusion. They relied on maritime shipments — as on the Karina, one of the rare ships intercepted and sunk, laden with East German rifles. In the 'Zar' case, a Cuban-linked flight carrying armaments was intercepted. These operations, tolerated by Cuba and Nicaragua, brought the Cold War together with the Drug War. M-19 conducted fewer kidnappings than other leftist guerrilla groups like FARC and ELN — not from a sense of ethics, but because their cartel financing and smuggling routes made ransoms obsolete. For decades, Colombia's laws set a logical order: Armed groups had to stop attacks, follow basic humanitarian rules, and commit to compensating victims before the government would formally negotiate with them. Petro reversed that sequence with a series of warrant-suspension orders — first for 19 leaders of a FARC splinter group in March 2023, and later for six Clan del Golfo negotiators in July 2024. Each order paused arrests and extraditions before either group had been granted political status, turning a legal threshold into a discretionary amnesty. Colombia's intelligence service under Carlos Ramón González — now a fugitive believed to be hiding out in Nicaragua thanks to a corruption scandal — functioned less as a coordinator of intelligence and more as a tool of political control. Meanwhile, Petro shifted trillions of pesos to local committees operating in areas where criminal groups are entrenched — outside normal procurement rules. Sold as 'democratization,' this has outsourced authority to para-legal networks, diluting sovereignty where the state is already weakest. For the U.S., the consequences have been immediate. Colombia sits at the center of U.S. counternarcotics policy. If the presidency facilitates trafficking under the false pretext of peace, then the DEA, Justice Department and Southern Command face compromise of their surveillance activity, exposure of their sources, and contamination of their evidence. Cooperation with Colombia today is a liability. Washington has tools to deal with this. The Kingpin Act enables sanctions against those materially assisting traffickers; the alleged $100,000 'peace' entry to obstruct extradition meets that standard. The Global Magnitsky Act covers corruption and obstruction of justice. It authorizes visa bans for officials and relatives on credible evidence, no conviction necessary. The Foreign Assistance Act allows the suspension of aid if a government facilitates trafficking or fails to act; that only requires political judgment, not a court ruling. Petro has not passively tolerated convergence. He has orchestrated it, and people close to him are neck-deep in the corruption. In many regions, the state no longer suppresses but actually franchises armed governance. There are precedents for dealing with such situations. The most dramatic case was the 1989 indictment and ouster of Panama's Manuel Noriega. In a less dramatic case, Tareck El Aissami, Venezuela's vice president, was sanctioned under narcotics authorities. The test is no longer whether Washington can pressure cartels at the periphery, but whether it will use its legal arsenal when the center of impunity is the presidency of a partner state gone rogue.
Euronews
06-02-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Cocaine is 'no worse than whiskey', says Colombia's president
Colombia's President Gustavo Petro has said that "cocaine is no worse than whiskey" and that it is only illegal because it comes from Latin America. The leftist leader — who has struggled to contain rising cocaine production in the South American nation since taking power in August 2022 — made the comments this week during a six-hour ministerial meeting that was broadcast live for the first time ever. "Cocaine is illegal because it is made in Latin America, not because it is worse than whiskey," said Petro, a former member of the M-19 guerrilla movement. "If somebody wants peace, the business (of drug trafficking) has to be dismantled," he added. "It could be easily dismantled if they legalised cocaine in the world. It would be sold like wine." Colombia is by far the world's biggest cocaine producer, and cultivation of coca leaves — the drug's base ingredient — reached a record high in the country in 2023, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said. About 253,000 hectares of farmland in Colombia were planted with coca in 2023, a 10% rise from the previous year, the UNODC found. During the meeting, Petro also pointed out that fentanyl "is killing Americans and it is not made in Colombia", referring to a drug that is part of the opioid crisis in the US and believed to cause about 70,000 overdose deaths annually in the country. "Fentanyl was created as a pharmacy drug by North American multinationals" and those who used it "became addicted," he added. Petro's comments could ruffle feathers in Washington, as US President Donald Trump has made cracking down on drug trafficking a priority and threatened tariffs against Mexico and Canada over the illicit flow of fentanyl into the US, among other issues. Just last month, Bogota and Washington were embroiled in a bitter feud over immigration that nearly triggered a trade war between the longtime allies. Trump had threatened tariffs and sanctions on Colombia after the South American country refused to accept military flights carrying deported migrants from the US. Bogota eventually backed down.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Who is Colombia's President Gustavo Petro, former Marxist guerrilla and country's first leftist leader?
A recent spat publicly carried out this weekend over social media between President Donald Trump and Colombian President Gustavo Petro has brought renewed attention to the former Marxist guerrilla turned top political figure. The U.S. sat on the brink of a trade war with Colombia after Trump turned to his favored geopolitical tool and threatened to impose up to 50% tariffs on all imports from the Latin American country if it did not accept military planes full of deported Colombians as part of Trump's deportation sweep. The trade war was avoided after Petro apparently agreed to lift his ban on flights full of deported Colombians who had allegedly entered the U.S. illegally, though not before he issued a strongly worded statement in which he threatened to match Trump's tariffs, criticized his "greed" and defended Colombia's sovereignty. Colombian Leader Quickly Caves After Trump Threats, Offers Presidential Plane For Deportation Flights The Colombian president's Sunday diatribe on X in response to Trump is not a new approach for Petro, who has reportedly made a name for himself by being outspoken on social media. Petro became Colombia's first leftist leader in 2022 after he defeated conservatives by pledging changes that would focus on ending the country's long history of violence, human rights abuses and poverty. Read On The Fox News App According to The Associated Press, Colombians had long been resistant to left-leaning politicians over concerns they were soft on violence. Petro's background as a former member of the M-19 guerrilla group before he turned to more traditional political paths, may have played in his favor at home. Though Petro's election to high office was championed at home, it was met with trepidation by conservatives in the U.S. Colombia was traditionally considered a top ally to Washington, D.C., in Latin America, and according to a Reuters report, the U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement was responsible for a substantial $33.8 billion worth of trade in 2023 – accounting for a quarter of all of Bogotá's exports. Despite Colombia's reliance on American spending, Petro has pursued controversial diplomatic pursuits that often run counter to Washington's geopolitical agenda. Colombia Elects Former Rebel Gustavo Petro To Become Country's First Leftist President Since becoming president of Colombia, Petro has restored diplomatic relations with neighboring Venezuela, whose leader, Nicolás Maduro, has been criticized for his ties to top American adversaries, including China, Russia, Iranian proxies in the Middle East and Cuba. Petro has also taken a hard stance in opposition to Israel and chose the day after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, in which some 1,200 people were killed and 250 abducted into Gaza, to criticize Jerusalem for carrying out "neo-Nazi" acts against Palestinians. Petro continued his opposition to Israel's war in Gaza over the next 15 months before a ceasefire was reached, in part, by officials now active in the Trump administration – which could indicate further headbutting between the nations' leaders. "I think many Latin American countries have gotten used to a U.S. presidential administration that doesn't mean what it says or do what is needed for national security," Joseph Humire, an expert on Latin America issues and the executive director of the Center for a Secure Free Society, told Fox News Digital. "President Petro seriously underestimated the resolve of President Trump to secure our border and end the weaponized migration that, for the past four years, has been undermining American sovereignty. "If President Petro or any government tries to obstruct America's sovereign right to deport criminals than I think they will see similar punitive measures," he added. It remains unclear what relations going forward between Trump and Petro will look like or how the president was able to get Petro to reverse his position within hours of the Colombian president's furious post on X. Colombian foreign minister, Luis Gilberto Murillo, along with the nation's ambassador to the U.S., Daniel Garcia-Pena, on Sunday announced plans to travel to Washington in the coming days to discuss agreements reached over the weekend to end the impasse and avoid a U.S.-Colombia trade war. Original article source: Who is Colombia's President Gustavo Petro, former Marxist guerrilla and country's first leftist leader?
Fox News
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Who is Colombia's President Gustavo Petro, former Marxist guerrilla and country's first leftist leader?
A recent spat publicly carried out this weekend over social media between President Donald Trump and Colombian President Gustavo Petro has brought renewed attention to the former Marxist guerrilla turned top political figure. The U.S. sat on the brink of a trade war with Colombia after Trump turned to his favored geopolitical tool and threatened to impose up to 50% tariffs on all imports from the Latin American country if it did not accept military planes full of deported Colombians as part of Trump's deportation sweep. The trade war was avoided after Petro apparently agreed to lift his ban on flights full of deported Colombians who had allegedly entered the U.S. illegally, though not before he issued a strongly worded statement in which he threatened to match Trump's tariffs, criticized his "greed" and defended Colombia's sovereignty. The Colombian president's Sunday diatribe on X in response to Trump is not a new approach for Petro, who has reportedly made a name for himself by being outspoken on social media. Petro became Colombia's first leftist leader in 2022 after he defeated conservatives by pledging changes that would focus on ending the country's long history of violence, human rights abuses and poverty. According to The Associated Press, Colombians had long been resistant to left-leaning politicians over concerns they were soft on violence. Petro's background as a former member of the M-19 guerrilla group before he turned to more traditional political paths, may have played in his favor at home. Though Petro's election to high office was championed at home, it was met with trepidation by conservatives in the U.S. Colombia was traditionally considered a top ally to Washington, D.C., in Latin America, and according to a Reuters report, the U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement was responsible for a substantial $33.8 billion worth of trade in 2023 – accounting for a quarter of all of Bogotá's exports. Despite Colombia's reliance on American spending, Petro has pursued controversial diplomatic pursuits that often run counter to Washington's geopolitical agenda. Since becoming president of Colombia, Petro has restored diplomatic relations with neighboring Venezuela, whose leader, Nicolás Maduro, has been criticized for his ties to top American adversaries, including China, Russia, Iranian proxies in the Middle East and Cuba. Petro has also taken a hard stance in opposition to Israel and chose the day after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, in which some 1,200 people were killed and 250 abducted into Gaza, to criticize Jerusalem for carrying out "neo-Nazi" acts against Palestinians. Petro continued his opposition to Israel's war in Gaza over the next 15 months before a ceasefire was reached, in part, by officials now active in the Trump administration – which could indicate further headbutting between the nations' leaders. "I think many Latin American countries have gotten used to a U.S. presidential administration that doesn't mean what it says or do what is needed for national security," Joseph Humire, an expert on Latin America issues and the executive director of the Center for a Secure Free Society, told Fox News Digital. "President Petro seriously underestimated the resolve of President Trump to secure our border and end the weaponized migration that, for the past four years, has been undermining American sovereignty. "If President Petro or any government tries to obstruct America's sovereign right to deport criminals than I think they will see similar punitive measures," he added. It remains unclear what relations going forward between Trump and Petro will look like or how the president was able to get Petro to reverse his position within hours of the Colombian president's furious post on X. Colombian foreign minister, Luis Gilberto Murillo, along with the nation's ambassador to the U.S., Daniel Garcia-Pena, on Sunday announced plans to travel to Washington in the coming days to discuss agreements reached over the weekend to end the impasse and avoid a U.S.-Colombia trade war.
Yahoo
26-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Colombian leader quickly caves after Trump threats, offers presidential plane for deportation flights
Colombian President Gustavo Petro offered his presidential plane to repatriate migrants coming back from the U.S. on Sunday in response to stern warnings made by President Donald Trump. The move came after Trump hit the South American country with retaliatory measures in response to Petro's refusal to accept deportation flights. A former member of the M-19, which was a Marxist guerrilla terrorist group that killed hundreds, Petro caved in to Trump's demands with remarkable speed. Trump told Fox News Petro did a total about-face after his tariff threat. In a statement translated from Spanish, the Colombian government said the plane will help facilitate a "dignified return." "The Government of Colombia, under the direction of President Gustavo Petro, has arranged the presidential plane to facilitate the dignified return of the compatriots who were going to arrive in the country today in the morning, coming from deportation flights," the translated statement read. Trump Dhs Repeals Key Mayorkas Memo Limiting Ice Agents, Orders Parole Review "This measure responds to the Government's commitment to guarantee decent conditions." Read On The Fox News App This weekend, American officials sent two flights of Colombian illegal aliens as part of Trump's ongoing deportation program. Petro rejected the flights, writing that the U.S. cannot "treat Colombian migrants as criminals." "I deny the entry of American planes carrying Colombian migrants into our territory," Petro said. "The United States must establish a protocol for the dignified treatment of migrants before we receive them." In response, Trump unleashed a slew of punishments, including ordering a 25% tariff on all goods coming into the U.S. from Colombia. Billionaires Cozy Up To Trump With Seven Figure Inaugural Donations After Past Feuds With President "I was just informed that two repatriation flights from the United States, with a large number of Illegal Criminals, were not allowed to land in Colombia," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "This order was given by Colombia's Socialist President Gustavo Petro, who is already very unpopular amongst his people." "Petro's denial of these flights has jeopardized the National Security and Public Safety of the United States, so I have directed my Administration to immediately take the following urgent and decisive retaliatory measures." The tariff would rise to 50% after one week, Trump said. The president also ordered a travel ban and visa revocations for all Colombian government officials, plus "allies and supporters." "These measures are just the beginning. We will not allow the Colombian Government to violate its legal obligations with regard to the acceptance and return of the Criminals they forced into the United States!" Trump warned. Later on Sunday, Petro issued a similar threat to Trump, claiming that he ordered his foreign trade minister "to raise tariffs on imports from the U.S. by 25%." "The ministry should help direct our exports to the whole world other than the US," the translated post read. "Our exports should be expanded." Later, Petro published a lengthy rant where he raised the tariffs to 50%. "I am informed that you impose a 50% tariff on the fruits of our human labor to enter the United States, and I do the same," the translated X post said. Fox News Digital's Anders Hagstrom contributed to this article source: Colombian leader quickly caves after Trump threats, offers presidential plane for deportation flights
