The current levels of violence are lower than those of 30 years ago and violence as of 2016 is different from that of the 90s, as well as President Gustavo Petro stressed in his speech at night, where he delivered a landscape in terms of security and showed how the number and the rate of homicides has been falling. The main problem are illicit economies that seek territorial control.
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Intentional homicide is the fifth cause of death in Colombia. In 2022, the rate was 26.2 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, while by 2024 it dropped and was 25.6 per 100,000 inhabitants. In addition, in the country the new violence that is lived is on account of drug trafficking that has expanded its markets in the world.
These were some of the outstanding data both during the speech of President Gustavo Petro and in the Council of Ministers developed last night.
The head of state made an exhibition of intentional homicides, which is worth remembering are different from legal medicine data because this entity counts both intentional and unintentional homicide, where they are, for example, even accidental homicides, which are not given within the framework of a context of violence.
The president showed how the number of intentional homicides in Colombia has evolved year after year. Between 1990 and 1994 “it was pure terrorism,” he said, ensuring that it was the era of greatest violence, since the number of deaths ranged among more than 24 thousand and 28 thousand per year. In 2002 there is a peak again with more than 28 thousand deaths and from there a fall can be seen. Another peak was in 2012 when more than 16 thousand were reported; And again there was a decrease thanks to the peace process between the national government and the FARC-EP guerrillas. He would rebound again in 2021 with 13 thousand cases and “it has even remained in this government,” he admitted. He then blamed former President Iván Duque and stressed that this panorama has its root in breach: “It has to do with doing peace.” And finally, the head of state accepted that during his government “we have not been able to lower the levels he left (Iván) Duke,” however, his figures are lower than those of 30 years ago.
“It’s not as the press is saying”
Thus, “Colombia is successful in getting out of violence, continues to be, the homicide rates levels come to be the minors in the year 2024, of the entire period 1990 – 2024, so the alarm must be pondered, not hide it, obviously, but knowing that it is not as the press is saying,” said the president. “Colombia is a relatively successful country to get out of violence,” he said.
In 2022 the rate was 26.2 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, while by 2024 it dropped and was 25.6 and announced how the projected rate for 2025 could fall to 24.4 per 100 thousand inhabitants, achieving levels similar to those after the signing of the peace agreement.
The modalities of intentional homicides by quarrels and armed conflict have been decreasing, while, in contrast, the number of sicariate facts is the great challenge and continues to increase. “We are talking about organizations built to kill,” he said. The money to pay for those deaths “always leaves an illicit economy, not allowed in Colombia or in the world. Then, the illicit economy has become the great promoter of deadly violence in Colombia today.” For the president, he is facing a new phase of violence and “you have to treat it differently.”
Drug trafficking
Petro considers that behind this new type of violence are exclusively illicit economies whose leaders reside abroad, in the case of international structures, because today “drug trafficking posters are more powerful than Pablo Escobar” and seek territorial control. Thus, “the war against drugs has been lost because the strategy has been badly raised; this has happened throughout Latin America, the balance is one million dead for different reasons.” He compared that it is worse to what was lived in Iraq and that Colombia is the country “that has suffered the most, with almost 300,000 dead of that million.”
His plan, in short, is that the peasants who live from illicit economies voluntarily give up. In fact, there are already 40,000 hectares of coca leaf registered or agreed to be voluntarily eradicated and bet on lawful economies, for example.
Countries such as Venezuela would be cooperating with Colombia to face the ELN, “the border should not be abandoned to the mafia; capital error that of Duke for political sectarianism that we are now paying,” he rejected.
In the Catatumbo, Front 33 of the FARC-EP dissidents has said that you are interested in betting on a peace dialogue, the advanced process implies the concentration of its militants and weapons in an area, which “we must defend it from the ELN, undoubtedly, which is not interested in peace,” said Petro.
This is also being repeated in Nariño and Putumayo, although more shyly. “We are focusing on the dismantling of the illicit economy as a current financier of violent death in Colombia,” he reaffirmed.
Demand was extended
Cocaine has expanded markets to China, India, Australia and Europe, for example, “60 cocaine laboratories have been detected in Europe, Spain,” said the president. “This increase in demand causes it to be grown beyond Colombia, so crops begin to appear in Central America, the transfer of violence towards Ecuador is part of this phenomenon.” That is why the president’s proposal is to seize within the Colombian territory.
Finally, in addition to dialogue, seizure and eradication, among the other actions that announced is changing administration for ports as a strategy to fight drug trafficking and smugglers. It will also make changes to Bogotá airport.
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