Al Jazeera exclusive: rebel FARC faction in Colombia speaks on camera
Al Jazeera has published an exclusive on-camera interview with a rebel FARC faction in southern Colombia that has refused to disarm. The commanders explain why they remain outside President Gustavo Petro's 'Total Peace' framework. The footage exposes the limits of disarmament politics ahead of the 2026 presidential election.
Al JazeeraAn Al Jazeera correspondent conducted an exclusive on-camera interview with a FARC dissident faction operating in a remote area of southern Colombia that has refused to lay down weapons. The commanders interviewed said they do not trust the 'Total Peace' (Paz Total) framework set up after the 2016 accord, and accused the state of failing to deliver promised protection. Bogotá has described these factions as 'remaining radical elements'.
The interview also covered the faction's economic dependence on coca production and the local economy. Colombia's defence ministry reported an 18% rise in drug-linked killings last year. Sandra Borda, a political scientist at the Universidad de los Andes, told Al Jazeera that 'the partial failure of the Petro peace framework stems from gaps in structural development-and-security policy'.
Colombia votes for president on Sunday. Roberta Braga of the Atlantic Council said the interview 'could reshape the campaign conversation on disarmament policy'. EU diplomatic teams from Caracas and Organization of American States observer missions have moved into the region to monitor the electoral process and assess local security conditions.
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