Colombia's largest crime syndicate, the Gaitanist Army of Colombia (EGC), has temporarily suspended peace talks with the Colombian government in Qatar over a reported pledge by President Gustavo Petro to target its leader, Jesus Avila Villadiego, alias Chiquito Malo. The EGC announced the suspension in a statement on social media, citing concerns that Petro's commitment to capture and extradite Chiquito Malo would be a "violation of good faith" and breach the Doha commitments.
The decision comes after Colombian Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed reports that Petro's administration has prioritized three drug "kingpins," including Chiquito Malo, as high-level targets. A reward for his capture is set at 5 billion Colombian pesos, equivalent to $1.37 million.
Petro met US President Donald Trump in a closed-door meeting at the White House, where he reportedly committed to taking more "aggressive action" against narcotics trafficking out of Colombia. The EGC had been engaged in peace talks with the government since September 2025, but these were put on hold as soon as news emerged.
The suspension has thrown negotiations into peril and raised questions about the future of Petro's signature policy, "Total Peace," which aimed to bring rebel groups and criminal networks to the negotiating table. The EGC is a major player in Colombia's narcotics trade, with approximately 10,000 members, according to recent reports.
Analysts say that Chiquito Malo's extradition to the US in the event of his capture would be a significant blow to the group. However, experts also warn that potential US involvement in the operation has unsettled the EGC, as it would be a joint strategic effort involving both countries' intelligence.
While the EGC claims the suspension is temporary and talks will resume soon, its representatives have expressed demands for "legal and personal security guarantees" and the fulfillment of commitments made in Doha.
The decision comes after Colombian Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed reports that Petro's administration has prioritized three drug "kingpins," including Chiquito Malo, as high-level targets. A reward for his capture is set at 5 billion Colombian pesos, equivalent to $1.37 million.
Petro met US President Donald Trump in a closed-door meeting at the White House, where he reportedly committed to taking more "aggressive action" against narcotics trafficking out of Colombia. The EGC had been engaged in peace talks with the government since September 2025, but these were put on hold as soon as news emerged.
The suspension has thrown negotiations into peril and raised questions about the future of Petro's signature policy, "Total Peace," which aimed to bring rebel groups and criminal networks to the negotiating table. The EGC is a major player in Colombia's narcotics trade, with approximately 10,000 members, according to recent reports.
Analysts say that Chiquito Malo's extradition to the US in the event of his capture would be a significant blow to the group. However, experts also warn that potential US involvement in the operation has unsettled the EGC, as it would be a joint strategic effort involving both countries' intelligence.
While the EGC claims the suspension is temporary and talks will resume soon, its representatives have expressed demands for "legal and personal security guarantees" and the fulfillment of commitments made in Doha.
! petro's team really thought chiquito malo would just magically agree to get extradited back to the us? it sounds like a recipe for disaster, especially with the egc being that powerful and having 10k members 
. and what about the 5 billion pesos reward for his capture? thats some crazy cash 
. i feel bad for petro's team though, they must be feeling super stressed out right now 
. can we just get a break from all this drama for once? 
. on the bright side, maybe chiquito malo will actually agree to cooperate and help bring down some real narcotics traffickers 
. fingers crossed! 
! if petro's admin is gonna go after him that means more violence on the streets 
i feel like we're taking two steps forward and one step back with this whole "total peace" thing 
can't they find a way to negotiate without resorting to threats and violence? 
this is crazy stuff... i mean, how can you just cancel peace talks like that? it's not like chiquito malo is some innocent guy 
i feel bad for the people of colombia who are actually trying to move forward on peace talks. does petro not know what he's getting himself into? 
I dont think its right that Chiquito Malo has a 5 billion peso reward on his head. Im all for taking down big crime syndicates but thats just crazy 
. And now the peace talks are in jeopardy? That's like putting all these people in prison without even trying them first 
. I mean, the US involvement does add an extra layer of complexity - like, who's really in charge here? 
. First, there's this guy Chiquito Malo, and then suddenly everyone's talking about extraditing him to the US... it's like they're trying to recreate the whole Pablo Escobar era, you know? 
It's like they're playing this big game of cat and mouse, but what if they both end up getting hurt in the process? 
The situation with Colombia's Gaitanist Army of Colombia and President Petro is getting super complicated 
, sounds like petro's got some 'splainin' to do... his administration's all talk, not so much action, if y'ask me 
. this whole thing's a mess, and now it's just gonna push people back into the streets, more violence 
. what's the point of peace if you're just gonna chase someone down? 
. And now the EGC is all like "we cant trust you" and its gonna make it super hard for Petro's whole "Total Peace" thing to work out 
.
. It's like, what's next? Are they just gonna sit down with him and say "hey Chiquito, can we make a deal?" 
Chiquito Malo, you're like a supervillain or something?! 
I mean, the EGC has 10,000 members, that's like a whole army 
! How are they gonna get all their ducks in a row? 
And US involvement is added to this mess... it's like trying to solve a Rubik's cube while blindfolded 
. Can we just get some clarity on what's happening here? 
...
. The EGC's concerns about being betrayed are legit, and it's not just about Petro wanting to make a statement - this is about getting his people killed 
I mean I get that Chiquito Malo is a big deal and all, but can't they just capture him already? It's not like he's gonna slip through everyone's fingers.