President Gustavo Petro denies orders to halt operations against Clan del Golfo amid controversy

President Gustavo Petro responded to allegations that his administration instructed a pause to military and police actions against the Clan del Golfo. In a post on X, he said, “I never gave any order to stop operations,” rejecting claims that bombings and other operations were suspended to facilitate negotiations with the criminal group.

Audio recordings released by Noticias Caracol show a September 2022 conversation between former Peace Commissioner Dan Rueda and a Clan del Golfo commander discussing a potential freeze on bombings, the removal of officials and other concessions. The excerpts have intensified scrutiny of the “Paz Total” policy and raised questions about whether state functions were compromised for the benefit of an illegal armed group.

Further political fallout includes a meeting revealed by Noticias Caracol involving a senator’s legislative aide and a known drug‑trafficker, which was linked to discussions about the “law of subordination” and the ZUT (temporary location zones) process. The ZUT for Tierralta, Córdoba, was postponed because the site did not meet legal requirements, underscoring ongoing tensions over the demobilisation of the Clan del Golfo.

Petro also publicly called former police director Henry Sanabria’s accusations of halted operations “lies,” maintaining that any adjustments to military actions were strictly limited to protecting civilians, especially minors, and that the government’s stance toward organized crime has remained offensive.