Colombia peace deal: 99 guerrillas lay down arms three days ahead of presidential runoff

The surrender ceremony

On Thursday 18 June, 99 rebels from the National Coordinating Committee of the Bolivarian Army (CNEB) arrived at a designated site deep in the jungle of Putumayo department, southern Colombia. Wearing camouflage, they placed their rifles into a giant container bearing the slogan “I bet on life, I fulfill my commitment to peace.” The event was overseen by international organisations and the Catholic Church.

“I’m proud to contribute to peace,” said one guerrilla, using the alias Ferney. “I want to get trained in something so I never go back to anything illegal in this life.” A second rebel, who asked to remain anonymous, told AFP: “I’m fulfilled; my joy is immense at the thought that we will no longer be out there, far from our families.”

Who the CNEB are

The CNEB is a dissident faction of the former FARC guerrillas, who signed a historic peace agreement with the Colombian state in 2016. The group obeyed orders from Walter Mendoza, an ex-FARC commander who had signed the peace but rearmed in 2019. It is the only guerrilla group still actively advancing negotiations under President Gustavo Petro, who took office in 2022. Far-left guerrilla outfits, far-right paramilitaries and drug-trafficking organisations have all walked away from the table.

The fragile “total peace” policy

Petro’s “paz total” strategy aimed at dialogue with all armed groups has delivered few concrete results until now. The disarmament ceremony is widely described as the most tangible achievement of his four-year effort. “It’s a very strong and powerful message for Colombian society at a time when we hear so much noise of war and overall violence is intensifying,” said Armando Novoa, head of the government’s peace delegation for the CNEB.

A vote that will decide the policy’s fate

The symbolic move comes as Colombians prepare to vote in a runoff presidential election on Sunday 21 June. The choice is between Senator Iván Cepeda, a leftist ally of Petro who pledges to continue the dialogue-based peace initiative, and far-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella, who promises direct military confrontation with armed groups. Petro cannot run again under the constitution and will hand over power on 7 August.

What comes next for the disarmed fighters

The 99 guerrillas will remain for ten months on land previously used for coca crops, awaiting definitive disarmament and the resolution of their legal status. The group received hygiene kits and books before entering the zone, which is guarded by the army and has housing equipped with solar panels. The government estimates that the CNEB may count between 2,000 and 2,500 members in total.