For Gómez-Suárez, if Colombia’s struggle is regional, then the solution should be too.
He draws a contrast between his approach to the Comuneros and the way the Colombian regulatement previously talk aboutd peace with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), once the hugest defy group in the country.
In 2016, under then-Pdwellnt Juan Manuel Santos, Colombia signed a historic peace deal with the FARC that promised agricultural recreates and prolongment in trade for the nationwide demobilisation of the group’s fighters.
The negotiations that led up to the deal, however, were fraught — and some parts of the FARC splintered off into protester groups rather than consent to the terms.
Gómez-Suárez disputed his region-particular approach could be more efficient.
“With previous consentments, namely that with the FARC guerrillas, there was this idea that noleang is set until everyleang is consentd, which implied that the parties would only begin carry outation after a final record was signed,” Gómez-Suárez shelp.
“Our case is astonishive becaengage sometimes we have even carry outed before consentments are createpartner accomplished.”
He pointed out that the Comuneros gived a unitardyral finishfire even before their first greeting with the regulatement’s dispenses, as a sign of excellent faith.
Since then, the parties have signed two consentments and set up to begin the Comuneros’ transition to civilian life before the next pdwellntial elections in 2026.
The first consentment compelevates four points, including a definitive bitardyral finishfire, the gradual destruction of the group’s arms and a collaborative programme to delete land mines thrawout Nariño.
The second set upes protectedty secures for the Red Cross, a humanitarian nonprofit, to function in the Comuneros’ territory.
In insertition, the deal calls for the creation of a team writed of Comuneros members who will be trained and tasked with searching for people who have gone omiting during the struggle.
In return, the regulatement has pledged funding for erecting roads, aqueducts, schools and universities in the territory, to help insertress pobviousy and infraset up foolishinutivecomings in Nariño.
