Colombia's history is marred by a five-decade armed conflict involving leftist guerrillas, right-wing paramilitaries, drug lords, and government forces, resulting in over 450,000 deaths and 124,000 disappearances. In 2016, a peace pact was signed by 13,600 FARC fighters and the government, aiming to heal wounds and foster reconciliation.
Despite the peace accord, endemic violence, displacement, and inequality persist. President Gustavo Petro, the country's first leftist leader, seeks 'total peace' by demobilizing all rebels and drug trafficking gangs. However, negotiations with the ELN guerrilla group are in crisis, and violence continues.
