Bogotá.– The Colombian government estimates that 37% of the members of the Central General Staff (EMC), the largest dissident group of the FARC led by alias Iván Mordisco, are minors forcibly recruited by that armed group, Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez Suárez reported this Wednesday.
«We estimate that Mordisco’s dissidences could have around, in some sectors, almost 37% minors», the Minister of Defense expressed during a motion of censure debate against him in Congress.
Sánchez Suárez detailed that the General Staff of the Blocks and Fronts (EMBF), the dissident group commanded by alias Calarcá, registers approximately “15% of underage combatants in its ranks.” In contrast, the guerrilla group of the National Liberation Army (ELN) presents a figure that fluctuates around 10%, and the Gulf Clan, the main criminal gang in the country, at 5%.
The head of the Defense portfolio urged reflection on the causes of the phenomenon. “What we see is the effect, not the cause. Why does this threat arise? Is it because of the public force? There are many causes, one of them could be said to be corruption, which takes away opportunities,” he added.
Cauca, epicenter of child recruitment
Currently in Colombia, on average, a minor is recruited or used in the conflict every 20 hours. According to Unicef, between 2019 and 2024, this scourge increased by 300%, coinciding with the conversion of social media into a new method of recruitment.
Although tracking forced recruitment cases is difficult, estimates indicate that more than half occur in Cauca (southwest), one of the departments historically most affected by violence.
According to figures from the Ombudsman’s Office, at least 123 children and adolescents were recruited by armed groups in Colombia between January and September of this year.
On the other hand, the issue was ignited after President Gustavo Petro’s order to carry out several bombings against the Central General Staff since October, in which at least twelve minors who were in the ranks of that group died. This sparked a national debate on compliance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL), state responsibility, and the role of armed groups in recruitment.
Furthermore, in response to the controversy, Minister Sánchez Suárez emphasized that the deceased were not civilians. “What a pity, here we are not talking about children. We are talking about child combatants, we are not attacking any kindergarten,” the high official stated.
