FARC Dissident Faction Surrenders Weapons in Colombian Peace Process

About 100 members of a FARC dissident faction surrendered their weapons on Thursday in a formal ceremony in the municipality of Valle del Guamuez, Putumayo department, as part of President Gustavo Petro's 'total peace' initiative. The dissidents, dressed in military-style camouflage, laid down their weapons in a symbolic gesture of commitment to dialogue. They will now enter a temporary settlement zone where the government plans to integrate them into civilian life, with restrictions on their freedom and oversight from authorities.

Geovany Andrés Rojas, the faction's leader, made remarks from jail, where he was detained following his capture during peace talks on drug trafficking charges. Rojas stated that his capture weakened but did not end the dialogue process. The temporary relocation zone covers six hectares, and its operation will be monitored by the Organization of American States' Mission to Support the Peace Process.

The dissident group, known as the National Coordinating Committee of the Bolivarian Army, emerged from factions that did not accept the historic 2016 peace agreement between the state and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Colombia currently has approximately 27,000 illegally armed group members across eight structures, according to a 2025 report by the Ideas for Peace Foundation.

Last week, President Petro established a monitoring mechanism for the temporary relocation zone and ordered the suspension of offensive military and special police operations to allow the dissidents to enter the designated area. The government has announced the creation of several such zones, though none had materialized until now. Another armed group, Comuneros del Sur, has also handed over and destroyed weapons and explosives as part of the peace process.