Alleged Member of Clan del Golfo Released by ELN

An alleged member of the notorious paramilitary narco-terrorist organization known as the Gaitanist Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AGC), also known as Clan del Golfo, was released by the National Liberation Army (ELN) on Wednesday following his capture after an engagement between the leftist guerilla group and Clan del Golfo on June 11, 2024..Months of CaptivityIn a statement published by the ELN prior to the alleged member of Clan del Golfo’s release, the ELN stated that the alleged member of the paramilitary group, identified as Jonefer Sayas Gallardo, told his captors that the paramilitary organization had engaged in joint military operations with the Colombian military and operated under direction of the military, a claim often levied by leftist armed groups such as the ELN and a splinter faction of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia known as the Estado Mayor Central (FARC-EMC). In another post published on X by the ELN’s peace delegation to the Colombian government, since his capture it has been revealed that Sayas was a retired non-commissioned officer of the Colombian military casting further concerns regarding the alleged cooperation between the military and paramilitary groups such as Clan del Golfo.These claims have historically held some credibility, as the Colombian military has previously colluded with Clan del Golfo’s now defunct parent organization, the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), between the 1990s and early 2000s. While the official statements by the Colombian government have denied any collusion with the AUC, members of the Colombian armed forces have later been implicated during investigations into these claims including numerous military officers and politicians, with the latter being involved in the “parapolitics” scandal which ultimately led to the arrest of over 60 Colombian politicians..In their previous statement, the ELN reiterated their claims that the Colombian government is currently engaged in joint operations with paramilitary organizations across Bajo Cauca, Northeast Antioquia, and South Bolivar as part of the military’s counterinsurgency plan. The ELN further claimed the scope of the alleged joint operations are not possible to be launched “without the command and control from the High Command of the Military Forces,” due to the large amount of operational territory and the manner alleged operations have been conducted.The release of Sayas was largely due to collaboration with the Roman Catholic Church, an entity behind numerous other releases of captives held by various armed groups within Colombia, and the United Nations’ mission in Colombia itself. These organizations behind the release of Sayas follows a request by the ELN in their previous statement..Continued Violence as Tensions MountSince the end of the ceasefire between the Colombian government and the ELN, engagements between the two groups have increased which has ultimately forced President Gustavo Petro to announce an end to the peace process with the armed leftist guerilla group. Petro’s decision to terminate peace talks with the ELN followed the detonation of a car bomb in Arauca, which left two soldiers dead and 25 military personnel injured, this attack alongside the ELN’s employment of “pistol plans,” a strategy consisting of targeting vulnerable soldiers and police in an effort to undermine morale and destabilize regions of interest to the armed group, and attacks against fuel pipelines underscores the increasing tensions between the two organizations.The decision to terminate peace talks with the ELN has come as a surprise for many, as Petro has previously successfully negotiated peace deals with armed groups such as the ELN and FARC-EMC as part of the president’s plan to bring “total peace” to Colombia, ending the decades long conflict that has which has taken an estimated 450,000 lives while hundreds of thousands of others have been declared missing amid the fighting.While Petro’s plan made some strides in the early days of his presidency, securing a ceasefire with both the ELN on August 2023 and a splinter faction of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia known as the Estado Mayor Central (FARC-EMC), the plan faced fierce criticism from political opponents and Colombian citizens alike amid widespread allegations belligerent groups maintained illegal operations such as extortion, kidnapping for ransom, and drug trafficking, among others. Operations that violated the newly negotiated ceasefires.Criticisms ranged from the previously mentioned allegations against armed groups alongside fears that the negotiated ceasefires would ultimately fail and fall through, fears that have been confirmed in recent months. Not only has the ceasefire between the Colombian government and the ELN expired with little hope for revival, a similar ceasefire with the FARC-EMC was suspended in March following an attack on an indigenous community, which led to the death of a community leader and the injury of two members.After the attack, Petro announced that the ceasefire between the government and FARC-EMC was to be dissolved immediately while also reviving military operations against the armed group in retaliation for the attack. Since then, however, the FARC-EMC has launched numerous attacks against security forces, with notable examples including several attacks against forces in Morales, Cauca, and Jamundi, Valle del Cauca.These attacks are believed to be in an effort to force the Colombian government to reenter peace talks with the FARC-EMC, with innocent bystanders acting as mere collateral to the narco-terrorist organization.The ELN’s refusal to enter into another ceasefire with the Colombian government paired alongside the FARC-EMC’s increased operations against government forces have shown the weakening of Petro’s plan for total peace and the armed groups’ own increase in power during their respective ceasefires. Not only do the continued failures of Petro’s total peace plan spell ill tidings for the future of Colombia, the failures will also negatively impact Petro’s party’s chances at securing the presidential office in Colombia’s next presidential election in 2026. Petro himself cannot run for office in 2026 due to a constitutional restriction that prevents presidents from serving consecutive terms.Attacks by the ELN are certain to continue as the group has made their opposition to a ceasefire under current conditions between the group and the government clear through numerous statements published both on X and in the group’s publication, Insurreccion. The ELN previously stated in Insurreccion 947 that the group’s lack of willingness to continue with peace talks largely revolved around the Colombian government's decision to enter talks with the ELN's Narino front outside of the national representatives for the armed group, a move the national leadership ultimately rejected. Other key issues include the slow pace of reforms promised by the Colombian government as part of previous peace agreements, an issue which has impacted other armed groups in Colombia such as another splinter faction of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia known as the Second Marquetalia.This group was founded in 2019 by a number of former FARC commanders disgruntled by the government’s lack of fulfillment of promised compromises. Currently, this faction of the FARC operates largely in northern Colombia along the Colombia-Venezuela border, a region which has historically held a significant presence of the FARC prior to their disarmament in 2016.With the chance of reignited peace talks with the ELN seeming bleak, Colombia seems to be heading towards yet another bloody period as a part of the much larger Colombian conflict as armed groups continue to be resistant to long-term peace deals with the government.