Colombia

Monthly Event Reports GSOD Indices

Colombia exhibits mid-range performance across all categories of the Global State of Democracy framework, with relatively stronger performance in Representation. It also performs in the high range with regard to Local Democracy, Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Movement. Over the last five years, it has experienced significant advances in Credible Elections; there have been no notable declines. Colombia is one of the oldest democracies in the continent and has held periodic multiparty elections since 1958, after transition from a brief period of military government. Colombia is an upper middle-income country, and its main exports include crude petroleum, coal, coffee and gold.

Beginning in 1964 and over five decades, the country was embroiled in a low intensity civil war between the government and different guerrilla and paramilitary groups, including the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN), amongst others. The war reflected public frustration with the profound inequality between a small elite and an impoverished majority, who had few formal mechanisms for political participation. Indeed, these guerrilla groups had been excluded from the power sharing agreement between Liberals and Conservatives in the 1960s. In 2016, a Peace Accord was signed and 13,000 FARC combatants surrendered their arms, ended the fighting with the government and, for the first time, occupied seats in Congress. The war claimed as many as 220,000 lives and displaced over 5 million.

Colombia’s initial bipartisan arrangement (Frente Nacional) has evolved into to a multiparty system. While nationally competitive elections are now the norm, recent years have been marked by increased polarization. Furthermore, some of the problems that led to the conflict, such as poverty and inequality remain today. Economic growth and social policies have not significantly reduced inequality, as barriers to opportunities persist for rural, indigenous, and Afro-Colombian populations, who continue to struggle with forced displacement and landlessness. In addition, indigenous reserves, which make up almost a third of the national territory, have been sites of property conflicts and land grabbing related to mining and other extractive activities. Moreover, the ELN - present in 16 per cent of Colombia’s municipalities - and dissident FARC groups still operate in the country. In addition, killings, kidnappings, curfews and attacks against police, army and civilians, as well as forced displacement continue.

Although Colombia has made progress on gender equality during the last two decades, its full realization remains a challenge, and gender gaps persist, notably in the economic and political spheres. Furthermore, violence against women and femicides are particularly alarming, with indigenous and Afro-Colombian women being disproportionately impacted. Looking ahead, it will be important to watch how the government addresses the remaining armed groups, especially given the current president’s (a former rebel himself) ‘Total Peace’ initiative. Also to be watched are the unresolved social and economic causes of the conflict. These structural problems have resulted in citizen discontent, expressed through massive street protests in 2019 and 2021. It will thus be important to monitor how rising polarization impacts political participation and prospects of ‘total’ peace.

August 2023 | UN Security Council to oversee ceasefire between government and ELN

A UN Security Council resolution has approved the role of a UN mission in Colombia to oversee and monitor a ceasefire agreed between the government and the National Liberation Army (Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional, ELN). The ceasefire entered into force in the beginning of August, after negotiations facilitated by international actors over the summer. The ceasefire will be in place for 180 days.

UN Peace Process

July 2023 | President Petro’s son is arrested in connection with a money-laundering investigation

President Gustavo Petro’s son, local politician Nicolas Petro Burgos, was arrested along with his former spouse, accused of money laundering. Prosecutors launched an investigation into Petro Burgos’s finances after his former spouse revealed that he had received large payments from a former drug trafficker and individuals accused of corruption as contributions to his father’s campaign and peace plan, but reportedly without the knowledge of now president Petro. According to prosecutors, the contributions were kept by Petro Burgos to finance a lavish lifestyle. While initially Petro Burgos denied the allegations, prosecutors affirmed in early August that Petro Burgos acknowledged in a sworn statement to using contributions for his personal enrichment. He reportedly further alleged that Petro’s campaign had received undisclosed funds, including part of the contributions that led to the money laundering investigation, without the knowledge of the now President. President Petro denies that his campaign received any illegal funds.

Gustavo Petro Money in Politics

March 2023 | Setbacks to peace process as rebel group and cartel renew violence

President Gustavo Petro’s government has experienced setbacks to its plans for peace in Colombia. Authorities announced the suspension of a ceasefire that had been put in place in the past months with the main drug trafficking group operating in the country, the Gulf Clan, and announced that military operations against this group would be renewed. The government alleges the Gulf Clan did not respect the ceasefire and has instigated terror among civil population. Petro’s plan for total peace has also suffered a blow due to renewed violence, after an army base was attacked with mortar shells, which the government attributes to the National Liberation Army (ELN). Nine soldiers were killed. While a cease-fire with the rebel group had not yet been agreed, peace talks had been undertaken in previous months after a stalemate of years.

Gustavo Petro Gang Violence Peace Process

January 2023 | Vice-President Marquez is targeted in an assassination attempt

Vice-President Francia Marquez announced that her security detail had detected an explosive device near her family home. Security officers confirmed that due to the circumstances in which such a device had been found, it could be concluded that Marquez had been the target of an assassination attempt. Francia Marquez, the first woman of African descent to hold the vice-presidency, had previously been the target of threats, harassment and a prior assassination attempt, due to her work as an environmental activist.

Assassination Francia Marquez