Colombia's Petro suggests rebel group commander planning assassination

Event to announce the approval of a law called "No mas Ole" (No more Ole), that prohibits bullfighting, in Bogota

FILE PHOTO: Colombian President Gustavo Petro speaks during an event to announce the approval of a law called "No mas Ole" (No more Ole), that prohibits bullfighting, in Bogota, Colombia July 22, 2024. REUTERS/Nathalia Angarita/File Photo

Colombia's President Gustavo Petro on Friday suggested that Ivan Mordisco, the commander of the Estado Mayor Central rebel group, was planning to have him assassinated by snipers.

Relations between the government and certain factions of the EMC have reached new lows after a ceasefire between the two sides broke down in July.

"I would ask alias 'Ivan Mordisco' if it's true that he has allied himself with the self-proclaimed 'New Drug Trafficking Board' with secret headquarters in Dubai, from where they commit crimes, to kill me with paid snipers," Petro said in a post on X.

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Petro did not explain who or what the Dubai-based criminal group was, and intelligence sources said they did not have information of the planned attack.

The EMC is a dissident group of the now-demobilized Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) which reject a 2016 peace deal with the state.

This article was produced by Reuters news agency. It has not been edited by Global South World.

By Reuters