Colombia Signals Shift Toward Washington by Extraditing Armed Group Leader to US

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella spoke during a news conference following a security council meeting in Santa Marta, Colombia on September 25, 2026. The Colombian government has extradited an alleged drug trafficking leader to the United States, marking a significant shift in the nation's security policy toward closer alignment with Washington.

President Abelardo de la Espriella announced on Friday the extradition of Geovany Andres Rojas, who is accused of leading an organization formed by former members of the FARC rebel group. "You don’t build peace by protecting narco-terrorists like this bandit," de la Espriella stated after personally overseeing Rojas’s transfer to the US. "I ask US authorities … that he cannot negotiate deals that will leave his crimes unpunished."

De la Espriella’s left-wing predecessor, Gustavo Petro, had previously shielded Rojas from extradition to utilize him as a mediator in talks between the government and armed or criminal groups, favoring negotiations over military confrontation. The current president has discarded that strategy, pledging to crack down on splinter factions that emerged after the 2016 peace deal between the government and the FARC rebel group. Many of these factions have fought for control over lucrative drug routes and illicit industries.

Rojas, also known as “the Spider”, was flown to California and transferred into the custody of federal agents. He allegedly served as the commander and spokesperson of Comandos de la Frontera, an organization linked to cocaine trafficking in the Colombian province of Putumayo near the borders of Ecuador and Peru. He now faces drug trafficking and terrorism charges in the US, which has sought to expand military operations across Latin America under the pretext of combating crime and drug trafficking during President Donald Trump’s second term in office.

Colombia’s new president has closely aligned himself with those initiatives, terminating peace talks and initiating military operations against armed groups since assuming office in August. The New York Times reported that de la Espriella, a former defence lawyer, was previously investigated by US authorities concerning his ties to powerful drug traffickers, though he was never charged, and he defended politicians linked to right-wing paramilitaries.

Rights organizations have warned that returning to a militarised confrontation could result in human rights abuses by government forces and an escalation of violence. However, many Colombians have voiced support for a stricter approach against criminal organizations whose activities have frequently caused violence and the mass displacement of civilians.