Colombia’s president invites the country’s largest criminal group to peace talks, and it accepts

By MANUEL RUEDA
Associated Press

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia’s largest criminal group says it has accepted President Gustavo Petro’s offer to start peace negotiations, but the next steps in any talks are not immediately clear. The Gaitanista Self Defense Forces of Colombia — called the Gulf Clan by Colombia’s government — has been described by analysts as a threat to Petro’s ongoing efforts to broker peace deals with the nation’s remaining rebel groups. The group has an estimated 9,000 fighters and earns more than $4 billion per year from its illicit activities. One analyst says starting negotiations with the Gulf Clan would be essential for the government’s efforts to pacify rural areas of Colombia.