Colombia Hands Over FARC Dissident 'Araña' to US in Policy Shift on Narco-Rebels

Geovany Andres Rojas, alias 'Araña' or 'The Spider,' a senior commander of the Comandos de la Frontera armed group, was extradited from Colombia to the United States on September 25, 2026, arriving in San Diego to face federal charges of international cocaine trafficking conspiracy and narco-terrorism. The 45-year-old was arrested in Bogotá in February 2025 on an Interpol Red Notice and had his extradition approved by Colombia's Supreme Court in October 2025, but the process was paused under former President Gustavo Petro, who involved Rojas in peace negotiations with armed factions. The transfer proceeded rapidly after conservative President Abelardo de la Espriella took office in August 2026, abandoning prior talks and personally overseeing the handover at a military base in Barranquilla. US prosecutors in the Southern District of California allege Rojas led cocaine operations in the Putumayo region, a key coca-producing area near Ecuador and Peru, with ties to FARC dissident networks like Segunda Marquetalia. The DEA described the move as the start of a broader crackdown on narcoterrorists. This extradition highlights ongoing fragmentation of post-2016 FARC peace deal structures, where splinter groups have intensified competition over drug corridors, illegal mining, and extortion amid limited state control in rural areas. Rojas is set for an initial court appearance before a magistrate in San Diego.