Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced that a significant number of ammunition pieces have gone missing from two military bases within the country. The inspection conducted by the army unveiled the disappearance of hundreds of thousands of bullets, thousands of grenades, and 37 anti-tank missiles from a military base situated in the central region of Colombia and another close to the Caribbean coast. President Petro, the country's inaugural left-wing leader, expressed fears that the missing ammunition could have been illicitly acquired by Colombian rebel factions or potentially sold on the black market to criminal syndicates beyond national borders, which includes Haitian gangs.
President Petro underscored the likelihood of internal networks involving individuals within the armed forces orchestrating the illegal arms trade, offering a potential explanation for the disappearance of the ammunition. He emphasized that ongoing inspections of military bases were imperative to sever any connections between the armed forces and criminal enterprises. This revelation comes amidst renewed conflict in the southwestern region of Colombia against the FARC-EMC, a splinter group that emerged from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia subsequent to the 2016 peace agreement with the government.
Since assuming office in 2022, President Petro has initiated peace negotiations with the remaining rebel factions in Colombia. Despite a reduction in hostilities between the government and rebel groups in certain areas, critics of the Petro administration have pointed out that these groups continue to engage in extortion and abduction of civilians. The critics have also expressed concerns that the cease-fires associated with the peace talks have empowered rebels to strengthen their positions and enhance their influence within communities, facilitating their criminal activities.