Colombia Resumes Peace Talks with Clan del Golfo

Colombia has announced the resumption of peace talks with the Clan del Golfo, the nation's largest illegal armed group, two weeks after negotiations were suspended. The suspension occurred when Colombian government officials stated their intention to 'neutralize' the Clan del Golfo's top commander, Jobanis de Jesus Avila, also known as Chiquito Malo, following a meeting between President Gustavo Petro and Donald Trump. A joint statement confirmed that the suspension was 'overcome' after a meeting facilitated by the Catholic Church and the governments of Qatar, Spain, Norway, and Switzerland. The Clan del Golfo, also known as the Gaitanista Self Defense Forces, controls communities in northern Colombia and is involved in drug trafficking and extortion. The U.S. State Department designated it a terror organization last year. The statement did not clarify if operations against Malo would cease, only that agreements were reached to advance the talks, which began last year in Qatar.