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Colombia has extradited an alleged drug trafficking leader to the United States, marking a shift in the country’s security policy towards closer alignment with Washington, according to Al Jazeera, Reuters and The Associated Press.
President Abelardo de la Espriella announced on Friday that Geovany Andres Rojas had been transferred to the United States. Rojas is accused of leading an organisation formed by former members of the FARC rebel group.
“You don’t build peace by protecting narco-terrorists like this bandit,” de la Espriella said after overseeing Rojas’s transfer. He urged US authorities not to allow the suspect to negotiate agreements that would leave his alleged crimes unpunished.
Suspect faces charges in the United States
Rojas, also known as “the Spider”, was flown to California and placed in the custody of federal agents. US authorities accuse him of serving as commander and spokesperson of Comandos de la Frontera, a group linked to cocaine trafficking in Colombia’s Putumayo province, which borders Ecuador and Peru.
He is expected to face drug trafficking and terrorism charges in the United States. During President Donald Trump’s second term, Washington has sought to expand military operations across Latin America as part of efforts to combat crime and drug trafficking.
Colombia abandons previous negotiation strategy
De la Espriella’s left-wing predecessor, Gustavo Petro, had blocked Rojas’s extradition and used him as a mediator in talks with armed and criminal groups. Petro pursued negotiations instead of direct military confrontation in an effort to contain the groups.
The new president has rejected that approach and pledged to intensify action against organisations that emerged from the former FARC after the 2016 peace agreement. Several of those groups have competed for control of lucrative drug routes and other illicit activities.
Since taking office in August, de la Espriella has halted peace talks and launched military operations against armed groups. The New York Times reported that the president, a former defence lawyer, had previously been investigated by US authorities over alleged links to powerful drug traffickers but was never charged. He also represented politicians associated with right-wing paramilitary groups.
Human rights organisations have warned that a return to military confrontation could result in abuses by government forces and further violence. At the same time, many Colombians have backed tougher measures against criminal groups whose activities have frequently caused violence and the mass displacement of civilians.
