Colombia suspends extradition of rebel leader wanted in the US for drug trafficking
Willington Henao Gutiérrez, known as 'Mocho Olmedo' is one of the leaders of the 33rd front of FARC EMC, a rebel group with around 400 fighters that operates in the northeastern Catatumbo region. He is wanted in the U.S. for drug trafficking and money laundering and his extradition was approved by Colombia's Supreme Court in May.
But in a resolution published on June 26, and revealed by Colombian media on Tuesday, Petro ordered the suspension of Henao's extradition, mandating him to provide 'verifiable contributions and concrete results' to peace talks between the 33rd front and the Colombian government. The resolution says that if Henao fails to contribute to talks, he will be handed over to U.S. authorities.
Henao, in Colombian government custody since February, is the second rebel leader to have his extradition suspended by Petro this year. In May, the government delayed the extradition of Gabriel Yepes Mejía, a commander of the Comuneros del Sur rebel group also facing drug trafficking charges.
In June, Colombia's newly appointed justice minister, Eduardo Montealegre, told Colombian newspaper El Tiempo that the Petro administration would suspend the extradition of rebel leaders who agree to participate in peace talks — even if that strains relations with the United States.
Henao was indicted by a Florida court in 2023 on drug trafficking and money laundering charges, with prosecutors alleging he conspired to ship 115 kilos (253 pounds) of cocaine to the U.S.
The Petro administration and the U.S. government have often clashed over drug policy, with U.S. officials urging Colombia to do more to reduce coca crops and warning that future cooperation on security depends on concrete results in the fight against drug trafficking.
Colombia's first leftist government has staged peace talks with numerous rebel groups and drug gangs in an effort to improve security in rural areas, where groups like the FARC-EMC have filled the void left by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the guerrilla group that made peace with the government in 2016.
But the talks have yielded few results so far, with human rights groups saying that extortion, forced displacement and the recruitment of children are on the rise.
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