Bogotá, Colombia – Colombia today passed a law overhauling a decades-long legal framework for dealing with rebel groups in a landmark win for President Abelardo de la Espriella’s heavy-handed security strategy.
The “Submission Act” outlines incentives for members of criminal organizations to surrender themselves to authorities in return for reduced sentences while severing any possibility of negotiated peace agreements.
The law marks a major shift in the Colombian state’s counter-insurgency policy, denying political agency to guerrilla groups and placing them on the same footing as any criminal organization.
The bill passed through the chamber of representatives yesterday with 90 votes to 44 and was ratified today by the president, who celebrated it as a major step in the fight against armed criminal groups.
“[I] thank the Congress of the Republic for passing the law and for contributing, through the exercise of its constitutional responsibilities, to strengthening justice and security in Colombia,” wrote de la Espriella on X.
The bill was urgently passed to replace the 1997 Public Order Law, which expired today. That law allowed those with explicit permission from the government to engage in dialogue and sign peace agreements with “groups operating outside the law.” It was essential to the 2016 peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, which saw thousands of soldiers put down arms.
But the law passed today does not recognize the political status of armed groups and consequently forbids negotiations or peace deals with them. Instead, it aims to provide guarantees and incentives to criminals who want to turn themselves in.
The law enshrines benefits for those who surrender to the justice system, with up to 50% sentence reductions for low-level members and 30% for commanders. Those involved in child soldier recruitment are not eligible for these benefits.
Celebrating the bill’s passing, the president wrote that “the fake total peace has come to an end”, referring to his predecessor Gustavo Petro’s largely unsuccessful strategy of negotiating with armed groups.
De la Espriella ran on a law and order campaign pledging an all-out war against the illegal organizations that control large areas of Colombia. The former criminal defense attorney argued for the stick over the carrot, though the “Submission Act” includes elements of both.
This article originally appeared in The Bogotá Post and was re-published with permission.
Featured image description: The law was passed in Congress on Tuesday and later ratified by the president.
Featured image credit: Ministry of Justice.
