Colombia's Council of State Suspends Peace Talks with Second Marquetaria

The Colombian Council of State provisionally suspended Resolution 064 of 2024, which had authorized a peace dialogue table with the armed group known as the Second Marquetaria, led by alias Iván Márquez. The court ruled that the group qualifies as an "Estructura Armada Organizada de Crimen de Alto Impacto" (high‑impact criminal organization) rather than a "Grupo Armado Organizado" eligible for political negotiations under the 2022 Peace Total law (Law 2272). The suspension is a precautionary measure pending a legal challenge filed by the Fundación para el Estado de Derecho, which argued that granting political status to the group would violate victims' rights.

The government, led by President Gustavo Petro, opposed the suspension, contending that excluding the group could hinder the broader peace process. The Council of State, however, emphasized the strict legal categorization, leaving the peace dialogue table frozen while the case proceeds toward a final ruling. As of now, no active negotiations with the Second Marquetaria are in place.