Colombian President Allows Extradition of Boss of Clan del Golfo Drug Cartel

JAKARTA - Colombian President Gustavo Petro has lifted the suspension of an extradition order against the leader of the Clan del Golfo criminal group nicknamed "Chiquito Malo".

Petro also announced the arrest of another cartel boss known as "El Zarco".

"I have signed a decree revoking the suspension of the extradition order against the person nicknamed Chiquito Malo. If he is arrested, he must be extradited immediately. In addition, the leader of the Clan del Golfo nicknamed el Zarco has also been arrested in the Cordoba region," Petro said through a post on the X social media on Wednesday, July 1, as reported by ANTARA from Sputnik.

The extradition order for Chiquito Malo was previously suspended in May 2026 as part of peace talks mediated by Qatar with the Clan del Golfo.

The negotiation process began in 2025 with the aim of easing tensions and finding a political solution to the ongoing armed conflict.

The Clan del Golfo is the largest drug smuggling gang in Colombia that emerged after the demobilization of a number of paramilitary groups in 2006.

The organization is one of the three largest paramilitary groups in Colombia and is considered the main supplier of cocaine to the United States.