A Colombian warlord, previously appointed as a peace negotiator, has been extradited to the United States. Geovany Andres Rojas faces serious charges including drug trafficking and terrorism.
Rojas, known as “Araña” or “The Spider,” led Comandos de la Frontera, a group notorious for cocaine trafficking in Putumayo, Colombia. The former Colombian President Gustavo Petro had prevented his extradition, involving him in peace talks with the government. However, President Abelardo de la Espriella, the new conservative leader, revoked the protection, indicating a change in Colombia’s security strategy.
“You don’t build peace by protecting narco-terrorists like this bandit,” President De la Espriella stated, overseeing Rojas’s transfer to U.S. custody. He expressed that Rojas should not broker deals that excuse his crimes.
The U.S. Department of Justice shared a photo of Rojas with law enforcement upon his extradition. U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon remarked on efforts to eliminate narcoterrorists, beginning with Araña.
Rojas had been captured in Bogota in February 2025. Although Colombia’s Supreme Court authorized his extradition in October, it was halted by Petro, claiming Rojas needed to join peace discussions. The current President De la Espriella was elected recently and stopped all negotiations with rebel factions, embracing a stringent stance on crime.
The Colombian government faces challenges controlling rural violence as drug networks and rebel groups vie for areas neglected by FARC after their 2016 peace treaty. This led over 14,000 fighters to disarm, ending half a century of guerrilla conflict. Nevertheless, the agreement left regions with weak state presence, fostering illegal trades, especially cocaine.
Breakaway factions now contest drug pathways and illegal endeavors in these zones. Formed in 2017, Comandos de la Frontera consists partly of ex-FARC fighters who skipped the 2016 peace deal. They allied with Segunda Marquetalia, a group led by former FARC officer Luciano Marin in 2019. Yet, it disbanded two years ago, pushing Comandos to engage in separate parleys with the Colombian government.
Rojas is scheduled for his initial hearing on Monday.