Justice Minister Eduardo Montealegre said that Colombia’s government has suspended the extradition of drug trafficking suspects who are taking part in ongoing peace processes.
In an interview with French news agency AFP, Montealegre said that “the general rule is that extradition will be suspended for those who effectively collaborate with peace processes, whether in the insurgency or in illegal organizations.”
The day before the interview, President Gustavo Petro signed a decree that suspended the extradition of Willinton Henao, a.k.a. “Mocho Olmedo,” a commander of the 33rd Front of guerrilla group EMBF, which has been taking part in a peace process in the northwestern Catatumbo region.
Earlier this year, Petro suspended the extradition of Gabriel Yepes, a.k.a. “HH,” the top commander of the “Comuneros del Sur” guerrilla group that operates in southwest Colombia.
In the cases of both the 33rd Front and the Comuneros del Sur, the guerrillas are expected to help the government and local farmers replace the coca crops that historically sustained the guerrilla groups and their drug trafficking associates.
The justice minister said to have no issue with the United States government’s policy to seek the extradition of alleged participants in the global drug trade, disregarding their role in efforts to demobilize their organizations.
“The goal is to achieve the same end by different means: to dismantle organized crime, to put an end to drug trafficking,” said Montealegre.
The Colombian government’s decision to shield participants in peace processes comes after a failed attempt by the US Government to seek the extradition of demobilized former FARC commanders on bogus drug trafficking charges.
This attempt plunged the peace process with what used to be Colombia’s largest guerrilla group in a crisis and spurred the creation of multiple dissident guerrilla groups.
The government’s “Total Peace” policy has been seeking negotiations with these guerrillas and other illegal armed groups to strengthen the ongoing peace process with the FARC.
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