As part of President Gustavo Petro's "Total Peace" initiative, the Colombian government has offered peace talks with its most dangerous drug cartel in Colombia, Clan del Golfo. In a move that surprised many, the notorious drug cartel actually accepted the peace offer.

President Gustavo Petro, who has tried extending peace agreements to the various rebel groups, announced that Clan del Golfo expressed a positive response to his peace proposal, suggesting that negotiating with Colombia's deadliest drug cartel was an option.

Petro came at the cartel with the carrot and stick approach, offering peace with the criminal organization or else the Colombian government would conduct military action against them, including air raids. According to Colombia One, Petro has vowed that the government would "wage war" and "destroy the clan" should they not accept the peace offer.

However, while Clan del Golfo has accepted the invitation, it sought to clarify its involvement in illegal activities as it denied any participation in migrant trafficking. It also downplayed its role in the drug trade as it remains one of the biggest drug organizations on Earth, mostly dealing with cocaine.

Fighting With Clan del Golfo Has Resulted in Much Bloodshed in Colombia

Colombia has had a massive history of struggle against drug cartels, particularly with Pablo Escobar and his Medellin Cartel. However, after his downfall, the Gulf Cartel has now become the country's top criminal organization.

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The fighting against the criminal group has been bloody, with a recent incident resulting in around 80 Indigenous families from the La Guajira department being displaced as they were forced to flee the fighting between government forces and the Clan.

"There is anxiety among ethnic and peasant communities due to the escalation of armed conflict in different areas of La Guajira. Therefore, it is imperative to convene the Sub-Committee for Prevention, Protection, and Guarantees of Non-Repetition, not only for Riohacha but also for San Juan del Cesar and Dibulla," said Colombian Ombudsman Carlos Camargo, warning that the fighting might escalate in other nearby areas, according to TeleSur.

What Is the Clan del Golfo and How Big of a Threat Is It to Colombia?

To pacify the many rural areas of Colombia, Clan del Golfo needs to be dealt with. However, this begs the question, what is Clan del Golfo?

Unlike the drug cartels in Mexico that were formed from splinters of now-defunct drug cartels, Clan del Golfo was founded by former members of right-wing paramilitary groups that demobilized in the early 2000s, according to the Associated Press. These paramilitary groups used to wage war against the various communist rebel groups plaguing the country, such as ELN and FARC.

It has an estimated 9,000 fighters and it earns over $4 billion annually thanks to its various criminal activities, which include drug trafficking and migrant trafficking. It is also considered Colombia's wealthiest armed group, being far richer than its communist rivals.

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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