The President’s Inbox Brewing Troubles in Colombia, With Roxanna Vigil
Sep 2, 2025
Roxanna Vigil, an International Affairs Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, discusses the alarming rise of political violence in Colombia as the country approaches a pivotal presidential election. She highlights the struggles for power among various factions, including FARC dissidents and the ELN, emphasizing their ties to drug trafficking. Vigil also examines the precarious future of demobilized FARC members and the broader implications of Colombia's instability on regional security and migration issues.
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Shift From Nationwide War To Localized Violence
- Violence in Colombia has shifted from nationwide conflict to concentrated territorial fights after the FARC demobilized in 2016.
- New and existing groups now battle over drug routes and coca areas, driving kidnappings, extortion, and forced displacement.
Peace Deal Was Politically Divisive
- Colombia's 2016 peace accords were politically polarizing despite broad rural support from communities hit hardest by violence.
- Transitional justice provisions sparked controversy because they trade traditional prison sentences for restorative mechanisms and limited restrictions.
Three Pillars Of Transitional Justice
- Colombia's transitional justice has three parts: a war crimes tribunal, a Truth Commission, and a unit to search for the disappeared.
- Former combatants who admit crimes get more lenient penalties, while others face adversarial trials with uncertain restrictions on freedom.
