A Colombian rebel faction known as Comuneros del Sur (Commoners of the South) has begun surrendering its weapons and signed two agreements with President Gustavo Petro’s administration, both sides announced on Saturday.
Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez hailed the move as a "historic moment" during a ceremony in the southwestern city of Pasto. Over the past two days, the group has handed over landmines, grenades, and rockets to military personnel tasked with their destruction.
"We believe armed struggle is obsolete. These are new times with new needs, and we refuse to return to war," said Royer Garzón, a leader of the group.
The disarmament paves the way for the eventual reintegration of approximately 300 rebels into civilian life.
Until May 2023, Comuneros del Sur was part of the leftist National Liberation Army (ELN), a 6,000-strong guerrilla group still engaged in conflict with the Colombian government. Its decision to split from the ELN and engage in peace talks with Petro’s administration angered ELN leadership and stalled negotiations between the government and the larger rebel faction.
Petro, a former rebel himself, has pursued a "Total Peace" strategy, engaging in talks with nine armed groups and drug trafficking organizations. However, most negotiations have failed to curb violence, making Comuneros del Sur the only faction so far to agree to demobilize.
Colombia’s 2016 peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) disarmed over 13,000 fighters but left a power vacuum in rural areas. Smaller armed groups have since vied for control over drug trafficking routes, natural resources, and illicit economies—often forcibly recruiting minors and extorting local businesses.
Analysts caution that while Comuneros del Sur’s demobilization is a positive step, it represents only a fraction of Colombia’s security challenges.
"The Comuneros are just one of nine issues facing Petro’s government, and they are a small, marginal segment of armed groups," said Gerson Arias, an analyst at Bogotá’s Ideas for Peace Foundation.
Regional officials in Nariño, where the group operates, hope the government will bolster security and development to prevent other factions from filling the void.
"If this group demobilizes, we need a clear strategy to protect the territory," said Giovanny Cárdenas, a human rights official in Samaniego. "It would be tragic if another group simply takes their place."
The government’s ability to sustain peace will depend on addressing both security gaps and the grievances that fuel Colombia’s decades-long conflict.