BOGOTA
\nColombia\u2019s most-wanted guerrilla leader Ivan Mordisco threatened to disrupt the country\u2019s 2026 presidential election, in a video released on Tuesday, in response to deadly military strikes against his armed group.
\nThe military operations were part of President Gustavo Petro\u2019s intensifying attacks against groups involved in cocaine trafficking, following fierce pressure from US President Donald Trump over his alleged inaction on drug production.
\nMordisco, the leader of a dissident faction of the former FARC guerrillas, said the strikes that have killed dozens were a \u201cdeclaration of war.\u201d
\nIn the video, Mordisco warned of repercussions for next year\u2019s election, which will determine the successor to the country\u2019s left-wing president who is constitutionally barred from running again.
\n\u201cWe wanted the 2026 electoral process to be as smooth as possible, but given the advance of warmongering actors, we have no choice but to take a stand,\u201d he said.
\nAuthorities have confirmed military strikes have claimed the lives of 15 minors since August, sparking public outrage.
\nThe teenagers had been abducted by the same armed groups in the soldiers\u2019 crosshairs.
\nPetro\u2019s policies were \u201cpandering to the gringos, who are thirsty for the blood of Colombian children,\u201d Mordisco said, referring to Americans.
\nThe president has launched a manhunt with a million-dollar reward to capture Mordisco, whom he likens to cocaine baron Pablo Escobar who was slain in 1993.
\nMordisco leads a dissident faction that rejected the 2016 peace agreement that led to the disarmament of the former FARC. His group controls cocaine production in several regions of the country.
\nThe lead-up to Colombia\u2019s 2026 election has already been marred by violence, with candidate and opposition senator Miguel Uribe shot while campaigning in June.
\nHe died in hospital in August and police blamed the shooting on guerrillas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BOGOTA Colombia\u2019s most-wanted guerrilla leader Ivan Mordisco threatened to disrupt the country\u2019s 2026 presidential election, in a video released on Tuesday, in response to deadly military strikes against his armed group. The military operations were part of President Gustavo Petro\u2019s intensifying attacks against groups involved in cocaine trafficking, following fierce pressure from US President Donald […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":515609,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-515590","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n