Pares Foundation Report Details Expansion of Armed Groups and Territorial Insecurity in Colombia
The Pares Foundation released a report titled "Difficult Times" detailing the growth of violence and the expansion of illegal groups in Colombia between 2022 and 2026. The report notes that the presence of Municipalized Armed Groups increased from 428 municipalities in 2022 to 527 by 2026. While the government of Gustavo Petro pursued a "total peace" policy, the report found that the strategy had a null impact on containing territorial expansion. Instead, armed groups shifted their priorities toward social control and local economic regulation in territories they already dominated. The report highlights the Ejercito Gaitanista de Colombia as the structure with the highest municipal presence, while Farc dissident factions underwent complex reconfiguration, resulting in more than 230 municipalities being covered by 2026. Conversely, the Ejercito de Liberación Nacional experienced a territorial contraction, losing 18% of its municipal coverage by 2025. The Foundation for Ideas for Peace also reported that armed groups' military strength increased by 21% between 2024 and 2025, functioning more like criminal businesses. The report suggests that the state's operational capacity is currently limited, with less than 60% of the air force in the defense sector being operational.
Sources
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Tiempos violentos, columna de opinión por León Valencia
CAMBIO Colombia
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La ‘paz total’ al descubierto: Grupos armados crecieron un 90% y se dispararon desplazamientos, desapariciones, atentados y reclutamiento
El Tiempo
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En gobierno Petro grupos ilegales pasaron de operar en 428 municipios a 527
El Nuevo Siglo
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No se trata de hacer más, sino de hacer mejor: una hoja de ruta para fortalecer la seguridad en Colombia
Fundación Ideas para la Paz · FIP