The development of an expanded pilot project for the substitution of illegal crops in ten municipalities of Córdoba, Antioquia and Bolívar is part of the measures agreed by the Colombian government and the Gulf clan in the latest phase of the peace process. According to the media, this expansion is intended to cover regions where the armed organization exerts extensive economic and social influence through drug trafficking. The agreement reached in Doha, the capital of Qatar, is part of efforts to dismantle criminal structures and provide new legal options for communities traditionally affected by illegal cultivation. The main message focuses on the fact that the Organization of American States Peace Process Support Mission (MAPP/OAS) will be tasked with monitoring compliance with commitments between both parties, which include the phased transfer of armed members, humanitarian operations and the expansion of anti-illegal harvesting programs.
According to the media, the announcement of these new measures was made with the participation of delegations from the Colombian government and representatives of the Clan del Golfo, also known as the Gaitanista Army of Colombia. During the meeting in Doha, both delegations signed an agreement providing for the creation of three temporary residence zones for combatants of the armed organization. These areas were in Belén de Bajirá and Unguía in the Chocó department and in Tierralta in the Córdoba department. The document, approved by the government’s chief negotiator, Álvaro Jiménez Millán, and the Clan del Golfo delegate, Luis Armando Pérez, stipulates that the transfer of armed members will be carried out gradually starting in March.
According to the media, the establishment of the temporary zones is also accompanied by the suspension of arrest warrants and extradition requests against members of the Gulf clan who are in the designated areas. The aim of this measure is to create an environment conducive to concentration, disarmament and verification of combatant compliance with the agreement. The use of MAPP/OAS ensures international observation and transparency in all phases of the process.
The media reported that the negotiations in Qatar were mediated by a group made up of representatives from Spain, Norway, Switzerland and the host country. These states acted as guarantor countries of dialogue, offering logistical, diplomatic and political support to strengthen trust between the parties. According to the media, the international presence in the process was highlighted as a key element in strengthening the support and legitimacy of the commitments made.
The agreement also included commitments focused on humanitarian care for members of the Gulf clan currently incarcerated in prisons in Colombia and other countries. The document signed by the parties underlines the importance of assessing the health status of these prisoners through humanitarian operations in order to ensure respect for their fundamental rights and bring about full compliance with the negotiation and disarmament process.
According to media reports, the deployment of combatants to specific operational areas is considered a progressive and controlled operation, subject to international monitoring and a humanitarian evaluation of detention conditions. The monitoring structure responsible for MAPP/OAS aims to provide guarantees of transparency at every stage of compliance with the agreements, thereby strengthening civil society’s trust in the peace process.
The statement from the Colombian presidency cited by the media reiterates the call for society to support these efforts to collectively build peace, regardless of ideological divisions, political positions or religious beliefs. The negotiating delegations expressed their official thanks to the Government of Qatar and the mediating countries for their contribution to the dialogue and the development of commitments made in the international context.
The information released describes that the expansion of the illegal crop substitution plan follows the agreements previously agreed in September, the initial scope of which included only five places where the Clan del Golfo had a particular influence. The decision to expand the program redoubled territorial efforts, prioritizing dismantling the armed group’s economic base and providing alternative development paths for populations affected by drug trafficking.
The media highlighted the relevance of selecting the municipalities of Chocó and Córdoba as siting areas, given the historical roots of the Clan del Golfo in these areas. The sites were selected to facilitate an orderly, internationally monitored transfer process that strengthens the concentration and disarmament process of combatants and their eventual transition to social reintegration.
International cooperation appears to be one of the cornerstones in this phase of the peace process, the media emphasized. The active presence of the MAPP/OAS and the guarantor countries aims to give legitimacy and credibility to the mutual commitments and to create common monitoring frameworks that favor both the monitoring of commitments and humanitarian accompaniment.
The signed document envisages the implementation of the measures from March, with a particular focus on monitoring compliance with the basic conditions of the detained members of the armed group, while negotiations advance with a view to the normalization and gradual disarmament of the organization.
These negotiations are part of a broader strategy by the Colombian government aimed at de-escalating violence and dismantling criminal structures through dialogue and the promotion of social reintegration mechanisms. The media reported that this process represents a new episode in the state’s attempt to reach agreements with armed actors operating in different regions of the country, with the aim of reducing conflicts and addressing the structural factors related to drug trafficking.
Coordination between international organizations and Colombian delegations will create a system of technical and political assistance that strengthens the role of the international community in promoting peace in Colombia. According to media, this external support is crucial to ensure compliance with commitments and protect the rights of affected populations.
Finally, the media concluded that the agreements concluded in Doha represent a remarkable progress in relations between the Colombian executive and the main illegal armed group related to drug trafficking, while establishing a roadmap for the normalization and gradual dismantling of criminal structures under constant monitoring and monitoring by international actors.
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