Event Summary
On 20 July 2025, the Ministry of Justice submitted a bill to the Congress of the Republic, within the framework of the Total Peace policy. This bill aims to define a clear legal framework for the demobilisation and prosecution of illegal groups, including non-political criminal gangs such as the Clan del Golfo, with an emphasis on protecting the rights of victims and their right to participation, to which a specific chapter (Chapter II) is dedicated. On 19 August 2025, the process formally began in the first committee. After the presentation of the report, the proposal will continue its passage through Congress; a process that will need to pass four debates, two in the Chamber and two more in the Senate for it to become a law of the Republic.
This bill is part of the current government’s Total Peace policy (Law 2272 of 2022), which is a key element in advancing the enabling environment for civil society by contributing to spaces for participation and ending the conflict, which is one of the main threats to consolidating an open civic space in the country. The bill is based on the Victims Act, which has been in force in Colombia since 2011 and has made victims of the conflict key players in civil society.
While progress since 2022, when the Total Peace Law was defined, has been gradual and scattered, it is expected to continue advancing in the future.