Colombia's government has put forward one of its flagship security laws. Interior Minister Rodrigo Lara presented the Anti-Terrorism Statute to the Criminal Policy Council on October 8, a 116-page bill backed by President Abelardo de la Espriella that would significantly expand the state's powers against armed groups — including authorising military capabilities such as airstrikes and bombings.
The bill's centrepiece is a National Registry of Terrorist Organizations and Actors, informally dubbed the "De la Espriella List" and modelled loosely on the US "Clinton List" and Foreign Terrorist Organizations designations. Once an organisation or individual is added, banks must immediately freeze their funds and assets, and they're barred from state contracts and public benefits. Files are prepared by a technical body drawing on the security council, justice and foreign ministries, the attorney general's office and the financial intelligence unit — but final listing is an administrative act by the council itself, with no prior judicial ruling required.
Beyond the list, the statute creates a High Commissioner Against Terrorism serving a five-year presidential appointment, new crimes and tougher penalties covering everything from drones, illegal gold mining and extortion to cybercrime, kidnapping and attacks on critical infrastructure. Sentences can rise by a third when conduct benefits a listed group. Kidnapping is broadened to include the detention or encirclement of active-duty military personnel — a frequent tactic by armed groups who pressure civilians to detain soldiers. Organization leaders would face a special prison regime: isolated wings, suspended communications except with their lawyers, visits restricted to close family, and jammed telecom signals. Incentives exist too, with sentence reductions of up to 60% for effective cooperation.
So why does this matter to anyone planning a trip to Colombia? The country remains one of South America's most popular destinations, and travellers' main safety concerns are exactly what this law targets — extortion economies, illegal mining, kidnapping and armed groups operating in rural areas. A state effort to consolidate security could, if effective, improve conditions in places travellers actually go. But the bill is contested: it needs an absolute majority in Congress in a single session plus Constitutional Court review, and opposition leader Ivan Cepeda has attacked it sharply, arguing its vague definition of terrorism — conduct producing "fear, panic and alarm" — plus executive-controlled listing without judicial oversight could sweep in social protest and enable human rights abuses.
For now, the practical advice for visitors is unchanged: the biggest risks for tourists are petty crime in cities and specific regions off the beaten track where armed groups are active, not political violence in tourist zones. Follow your foreign office's travel advice, stick to well-trodden routes like Cartagena, Medellín and the coffee region, and keep an eye on how this debate evolves — the outcome will shape Colombia's security picture for years. Reported by Colombia One.
