The United States government has designated three former Colombian officials and their family members for their involvement in human rights violations during Colombia's decades-long internal armed conflict.
Former Colonel Publio Hernán Mejía Gutiérrez, former Colonel Juan Carlos Figueroa Suárez and former General Iván Ramírez Quintero have been designated pursuant to Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act 2023, according to a May 4 news release. The action also includes the designation of five of their family members, making all of them ineligible for entry into the U.S.
"I designated three former Colombian officials and announced their ineligibility to enter the U.S. for their gross violations of human rights," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a May 4 post on Twitter. "This furthers our longstanding support for Colombia's 2016 Peace Accord and the Special Jurisdiction for Peace @JEP_Colombia."
The United States government has supported Colombia's Peace Accord since its signing in 2016, according to a 2021 news release. The Accord ended 50 years of conflict with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia. The Accord addresses conflict-related atrocities and abuses which took place during the time through a comprehensive system for truth, justice, reparation and non-repetition.
"The work to transform Colombia’s conflict-affected areas opened the door to a more economically vibrant, equal and stable region," the 2021 release reported.
The Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) integrates reparative justice and acknowledgment with criminal prosecutions to ensure victims play a central role in all stages of the peace process, the May release reported. The group "works to end impunity for conflict-related crime."
"The United States commends the JEP for its vital work in support of conflict victims and survivors and will continue to work alongside Colombian and international partners to support the full implementation of the 2016 Peace Accord," Blinken said in the May news release.
