President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella announced Monday that his government will eliminate the Office of the High Commissioner for Peace [1].

The move signals a fundamental shift in Colombia's approach to internal conflict, moving away from negotiated settlements toward a strategy centered on national security.

De la Espriella said the office will be replaced by a National Security Commissioner [1]. This restructuring is part of a broader plan to reduce the size of the executive branch, which includes the elimination of 229 positions within the presidency [4].

The president-elect said the existing office allows for "processes of false peace" [2]. He said his administration will prioritize national security over the previous framework of peace negotiations [2].

"The figure of the high commissioner for peace will end in my government," de la Espriella said [1]. He said, "There will be no more processes of false peace" [2].

While the president-elect has emphasized the creation of a security commissioner, other reports indicate that functions previously held by the peace office may be distributed among the ministries of the Interior, Foreign Affairs, and Defense [3].

The changes are scheduled to take effect Aug. 7, 2026 [1].

“"There will be no more processes of false peace"”

The removal of the High Commissioner for Peace represents a pivot from the 'Total Peace' policies of previous administrations. By replacing a peace-focused diplomatic role with a security-focused commissioner, de la Espriella is transitioning the state's primary mechanism for handling insurgent groups from negotiation to enforcement.