The Gulf Clanthe largest criminal gang in Colombiaoffered this Thursday to the president-elect of the country, Gustavo Petroa ceasefire conditional on its members not going to jail, and that it includes prisoners abroad who “have an honest commitment” to “clarify the truth.”
In a communication released by the group, and signed by more than 30 criminal organizations, including Los Rastrojos, Los Caparros or Los Mexicanos de Quibdó, the Gulf Clan refers to the “historical moment” that lives Colombia “in which for the first time a leftist president arrives at the leadership of the country”.
“We cannot be indifferent to the clamor of the Colombian people and the thought of its democratically elected president, in order to achieve the long-awaited ‘peace with social justice,’ among many things,” reads the letter, in which they propose “to be an active part of this project “, not to mention the murder of numerous policemen who have committed in recent weeks in the country.
For this, they are open to “coordinating a ceasefire against the institutions from August 7”, the day he will take office Petroto disarm “at the right time” and to “ask for forgiveness” providing “total and integral truth”, something that would come from the hand of “repairing and, above all, not repeating criminal acts”.
But this will to stop their criminal activities is accompanied by a request to the state: “the country must be reconciled and, as far as possible, no one should go to jail, since it has been proven that (…) it does not meet the goals of resocialization.”
The proposal, which is already beginning to cause controversy, coincides today with the 30th anniversary of the drug trafficker’s escape Pablo Escobar of the prison of La Catedral, built by himself for a submission to justice similar to that proposed today by criminal gangs.
against extradition
In the letter they also make an allegation against extradition, “which should operate only in cases where there is an absence of truth, forgiveness, justice, reparation and non-repetition.”
“Extraditing people who comply with the postulates of truth means an affront to human dignity,” they added.
The main leader of Gulf Clan, Dairo Antonio Usuga Davidalias Otoniel, captured last October, was extradited to USA in May of this year to answer for drug trafficking crimes in a controversial process since it left unanswered, at least for now, many questions about crimes of the Colombian armed conflict.
In addition, his extradition led to the declaration of an “armed strike” by his criminal group that spread fear in some regions of Colombia leaving more than 300 acts of violence.
Precisely a delegation from the United States Government arrives today to Colombia to meet with Petro and discuss different issues of the bilateral relationship, among which is “joint work to reduce violence and combat criminal groups.”
benefits of justice
The letter asks for “guarantees equal to those obtained by members of other illegal armed groups, the public force, agents of the state and civilian third parties who have actively participated in the national conflict”.
“We have learned the lesson that nowadays one cannot come to power by means of arms, that this must be achieved in a democratic manner, just as the president did. Gustavo Petro. We tell the country that we are willing to take this same path,” the statement concludes.
Petro, upon his arrival in power, will face one of the most pressing challenges facing Colombiathe upsurge in violence as a result of clashes between armed groups.
The National Liberation Army (ELN) has already shown its “full disposition” to advance in the peace process.
For this, he proposed to continue the conversation table initiated in Quito in February 2017, while for its part Petro He has also been open to negotiating with the ELN during his government and to resume the talks that were transferred from Quito to Havanawhere they were discontinued in 2018.
(With information from EFE)