Why Colombia has plunged into violence ahead of its presidential election
With the presidential election just weeks away on 31 May, Colombia finds itself confronting a sharp deterioration in security that has thrust the failures of the past four years into the spotlight. While the government’s “total peace” strategy promised dialogue and an end to decades of conflict, independent assessments show it has instead allowed armed groups to regroup, expand and grow stronger — setting the stage for the current surge in violence. President Gustavo Petro’s flagship policy, launched in 2022, involved offering simultaneous negotiations and ceasefires to a wide array of rebel factions, guerrilla remnants and criminal organisations. The intention…