Colombian President Gustavo Petro has taken decisive action in response to recent unrest, suspending a ceasefire with the EMC rebel group in the departments of Nariño, Cauca, and Valle del Cauca. This measure follows an attack on an indigenous community by the rebels, as reported on Sunday.
On Saturday, an indigenous guard was shot in Toribío, Cauca, an indigenous community located near the western coast of the South American nation, while searching for a minor allegedly held hostage by the rebels. The Colombian president condemned this attack on unarmed civilians, characterizing it as a crime against humanity.
Previously, Colombia had put in place a bilateral and temporary ceasefire of a national nature with a territorial impact (CFBTNT) back in October 2023. The CFBTNT, a peace deal between the Colombian government and the Central General Staff of the FARC-EP, was due to remain in effect until January 15, 2024, but had been extended twice, once in January and again in February, for a total of six more months.
The EMC rebel group consists of former members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which was formed after a failed peace negotiation attempt with the Colombian government in 2016. Both FARC and a separate guerrilla group, the National Liberation Army (ELN), have been persistently involved in Colombia’s long-lasting conflicts since their establishment after the 1948 assassination of liberal political leader Jorge Eliécer Gaitán and the ensuing anti-communism movement in the region.
In reaction to the breach of the ceasefire agreement, President Gustavo Petro has ordered the resumption of offensive military operations against the rebel forces. This directive is scheduled to come into effect on Wednesday, March 20, in the Departments of Nariño, Cauca, and Valle del Cauca.