politics
May 9, 2026
Petro Government Asks to Suspend Arrest Warrants for 'Chiquito Malo' and 28 Other Clan del Golfo Members
Alias 'Chiquito Malo' Photo: Colombian National Police
TL;DR
- The Colombian government requested the suspension of arrest warrants for 29 Clan del Golfo members, including leader 'Chiquito Malo'.
- The suspension aims to facilitate the transfer of these members to a Temporary Location Zone (ZUT) as part of peace negotiations.
- The decision has reignited debate about the legal scope and implications of Colombia's 'total peace' policy.
- The suspension is conditional and temporary, requiring adherence to government-defined restrictions on location, time, and purpose.
- Previous attempts to move members to ZUTs in Tierralta, Córdoba, and Belén de Bajirá, Chocó, were delayed due to security, weather, and internal issues, including the death of alias 'Gonzalito'.
- The Clan del Golfo is a significant illegal armed structure with an estimated 10,000 members involved in drug trafficking, illegal mining, and extortion.
- The government views ZUTs as a tool to organize the peace process, while critics worry about insufficient oversight.