Link to article: https://latinamericanpost.com/analysis-en/the-illusion-of-peace-in-colombia-emcs-disengagement-and-political-maneuvering/
Colombia has been filled with gangs and rebellions ever since the Medellin Cartel. One large emerging rebellion is the Estado Mayor Central (EMC), they have become the primary issue of the colombian government. The Estado Mayor Central acts more like a large scale gang or terrorist organization more than they act like a rebellion. Kidnappings, murders, drug dealing, and many more crimes are committed by the Estado Mayor Central. The Estado Mayor Central has offered to have peace talks with the colombian government and president Petro. However the Estado Mayor Central has intentionally drawn out the peace talks, leading it to be believed that the Estado Mayor Central only cares about political exposure. The Estado Mayor Central is using this as a form of political gains, hoping for support by the people and internationally. During the peace talks, the Estado Mayor Central has agreed to suspend any action, which has allowed the people of Colombia a moment of peace.
Colombia is in a certain situation in which it has to be very careful about how it approaches rebellions and organized crime. This is due to the fact that the people aren’t really happy with the colombian government, as seen by the large number of rebellions. Colombia also is at a major disadvantage due to the issue that most government officials and law enforcement are corrupt. This environment has become an easy place for rebellions to be born, and Colombia needs to start to better protect its people before the rebellions come full swing. I believe that Colombia does have the means to fix the issues presented if they would take some time to focus on it.
In international relations class, we have talked about the formation and actions of rebellions and insurgencies. Rebellions form when the people of a country find that their government is not serving the people’s best interest. These groups fight for what they see as a righteous cause, making it very hard to dispel them peacefully. The only other solution is to use force, which makes martyrs, which in turn makes more people join the rebellion. The peace talks hold great importance as it may be the only way for the colombian government to get rid of the Estado Mayor Central. I predict that the future of the country will depend heavily on these peace talks.