Colombia to Hold Presidential Election on May 31 Amid Ongoing Armed Group Activity in Caqueta

Colombia will hold a presidential election on May 31 2026. Days before the vote, the Carolina Ramirez Front of the Estado Mayor Central issued an audio message that banned movement by road or river in parts of the department of Caqueta on or before May 12 2026. David Rincon, a resident of Cartagena del Chairá on the Caguán River, said the order left residents unable to obtain food or supplies.

“People are scared. We are in a very difficult situation. We can’t move for food, supplies or anything. Many children can’t even go to school,” he told @AJEnglish. ” Rincon added that uncertainty had replaced any sense of calm.

“There is no peace or calm for anyone. You don’t know what will happen next. ” Gustavo Petro was elected president in 2022 and launched Total Peace as his main effort to negotiate with armed groups. The number of active fighters rose from about 13,000 in 2022 to roughly 27,000 by the end of 2025, according to Fundación Ideas Para la Paz.

The same source recorded a 34 percent increase in disputes between armed groups in 2025 compared with 2024, the highest level in a decade. Javier Florez, director of conflict and security at Fundación Ideas Para la Paz, said the policy had left armed networks stronger. “Total Peace is in the red.

Colombia struck a peace deal with the FARC in 2016. Yezid Arteta, a former FARC member now serving on government negotiation teams, said the accord splintered the group. ” He described Petro’s initial approach as “somewhat romantic” and noted that remaining groups raised expectations higher than in past talks.

The government signed ceasefires with the Clan del Golfo and the Estado Mayor Central in 2023. Florez said simultaneous talks with multiple groups created confusion for security forces. Laura Bonilla, deputy director of Fundación Paz y Reconciliación, said groups expand because of money and resources, not dialogue.

Senator Ivan Cepeda has pledged to continue Total Peace if elected. Paloma Valencia has called for abandoning the policy in favor of stronger military action. ” Abelardo de la Espriella has promised to end the policy immediately.

“The blood being shed today is a direct consequence of Gustavo Petro’s so-called ‘Total Peace’ — a sham policy. In our government, there will be no peace processes,” he said. Luis Gregorio Moreno, a former government adviser in Quibdo, said talks there produced ideas for jobs and opportunities but stalled over bureaucratic delays.

Edilson Sánchez, who signed the 2016 FARC accord, was displaced with his family in January 2025 and now lives in a small green tent. “Since then, the bloodshed has not stopped, day or night,” he said.