Colombia’s EGC Susends Peace Talks Over Petro-Trump Meeting
The Gaitanist Army of Colombia (EGC), the country's largest criminal organisation, has announced a temporary suspension of peace talks with the Colombian government due to a reported pledge by President Gustavo Petro to target its leader, Jesus Avila Villadiego, alias Chiquito Malo. The EGC had been engaged in high-level discussions with the government in Doha since September 2025.
According to sources, a private meeting between Petro and US President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday prompted the EGC's decision to suspend talks. Trump has been pressuring the Petro administration to take more "aggressive action" against narcotics trafficking out of Colombia, which led to the government presenting a dossier on their counter-narcotics operations to the Trump administration.
However, this shift in strategy has thrown negotiations with the EGC into peril. The EGC has expressed concerns that President Petro's commitment to collaborating with the US to capture Chiquito Malo would violate the "good faith and the Doha commitments" agreed upon during peace talks.
Colombia's Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed reports of the government's plans to prioritize Chiquito Malo as a high-level target, which led to a reward of 5 billion Colombian pesos being offered for his capture. The other two targets were top rebel commanders identified only by their aliases: Ivan Mordisco and Pablito.
The suspension has raised questions about the future of Petro's signature policy, "Total Peace," which aimed to open talks with rebel groups and criminal networks to halt Colombia's six-decade-long internal conflict.
Analysts believe that potential US involvement in capturing Chiquito Malo has unsettled the EGC. "It is very different for Chiquito Malo to be pursued solely by the Colombian government than for him to become a target of joint strategic value involving US intelligence," said Laura Bonilla, a deputy director at the Peace and Reconciliation Foundation.
However, Ricardo Giraldo, a lawyer for the EGC, has stated that the suspension is temporary and that talks will resume shortly, provided that "legal and personal security guarantees" are met.
The Gaitanist Army of Colombia (EGC), the country's largest criminal organisation, has announced a temporary suspension of peace talks with the Colombian government due to a reported pledge by President Gustavo Petro to target its leader, Jesus Avila Villadiego, alias Chiquito Malo. The EGC had been engaged in high-level discussions with the government in Doha since September 2025.
According to sources, a private meeting between Petro and US President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday prompted the EGC's decision to suspend talks. Trump has been pressuring the Petro administration to take more "aggressive action" against narcotics trafficking out of Colombia, which led to the government presenting a dossier on their counter-narcotics operations to the Trump administration.
However, this shift in strategy has thrown negotiations with the EGC into peril. The EGC has expressed concerns that President Petro's commitment to collaborating with the US to capture Chiquito Malo would violate the "good faith and the Doha commitments" agreed upon during peace talks.
Colombia's Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed reports of the government's plans to prioritize Chiquito Malo as a high-level target, which led to a reward of 5 billion Colombian pesos being offered for his capture. The other two targets were top rebel commanders identified only by their aliases: Ivan Mordisco and Pablito.
The suspension has raised questions about the future of Petro's signature policy, "Total Peace," which aimed to open talks with rebel groups and criminal networks to halt Colombia's six-decade-long internal conflict.
Analysts believe that potential US involvement in capturing Chiquito Malo has unsettled the EGC. "It is very different for Chiquito Malo to be pursued solely by the Colombian government than for him to become a target of joint strategic value involving US intelligence," said Laura Bonilla, a deputy director at the Peace and Reconciliation Foundation.
However, Ricardo Giraldo, a lawyer for the EGC, has stated that the suspension is temporary and that talks will resume shortly, provided that "legal and personal security guarantees" are met.
Colombia's been stuck in this cycle for decades and now it feels like they're taking a step back with this suspension. is it really worth risking everything for one guy, chiquito malo? or is it more about setting an example for others to follow? the petro administration thought they were making progress, but i guess that was just a facade 
who knew being friends with the us would lead to so much drama?! 
anyway, i guess this is a bit of a bummer for colombia's total peace policy... but hey, on the bright side, chiquito malo might finally get caught and his face can be plastered all over wanted posters everywhere 
So the EGC is suspending peace talks because of President Petro's meeting with Trump? Like, what did they expect to happen? The US always puts pressure on Colombia to do more about narcotics trafficking... it's not like Petro didn't know that going in. And now he's got a target on his head, Chiquito Malo? Really? 
The EGC is worried about the "good faith" thing, but come on, they were already doing shady stuff to get their hands dirty... maybe this is just them getting caught. 
As for "Total Peace," I think it's a great idea, but you gotta be realistic here... the US is never gonna let Colombia just go easy on its own internal conflicts. Petro needs to find some way to balance the security and economic interests of both sides. Maybe he should've negotiated this with Trump before the meeting? 
his life has been on hold for so long and now hes gotta face trial again? like he's still got this hope that he can make a change and start anew but now it looks like he's back to square one. what about the families of the people hes captured or hurt over the years? dont they deserve some closure or justice?
Colombia's peace process just got rocked. I think Petro's decision to target Chiquito Malo with a US-backed operation was way too hasty. Like, what happened to his 'Total Peace' plan? 
It's all so messy. And now I'm wondering if the Colombian government even knows what it wants anymore. 
Colombia's peace talks with the EGC just hit another roadblock... President Petro thinks he can just go all guns blazing on Chiquito Malo without even consulting his own team? 
Not cool, Petro. This is exactly what I was worried about - the US sticking its nose in and making a mess of things. 
The "Total Peace" initiative is just going to fade away, thanks to petty politics and outside interference. 
. Newsflash, Donald: you can't just muscle in on someone else's diplomacy and expect them to be all like "oh cool, thanks for saving us from Chiquito Malo" 
. I mean, who wants to see Chiquito Malo get caught up in some big US operation? 
It's not like the Colombian government didn't promise to keep things local before. Now they're all like "we'll take him down with the help of our friends across the border" 
. It just goes to show that when you're dealing with groups like the EGC, a little bit of foreign interference can go a long way in scuttling any progress. Can't they just keep their promises and stick to their own plans? 
I mean I get it, they're the ones who have been causing all this trouble, but can't we just find a way to make everyone happy? 
Those rebel groups and gangs have been going on for ages, it's time for a change 
And what's with the 5 billion peso reward? That's just crazy talk 
... Petro's sudden change of heart on dealing with Chiquito Malo makes me think there's more to it than meets the eye 
. Like, what's really at stake here? Is it just about taking down a notorious cartel leader or is it some kinda setup to get the Colombian government in line with US interests? 
. I think Petro's plan to target Chiquito Malo could backfire 
. Here's my diagram:
what's the point of having peace talks if you're just gonna use them as leverage for personal gain?