A Colombian rebel commander nicknamed “The Spider” is now in U.S. custody after a change in leadership in Bogotá cleared the way for his extradition, according to CBS.
Geovany Andres Rojas, also known as “Araña,” was transferred to California over the weekend, where prosecutors have charged him with drug trafficking and terrorism offenses tied to his alleged role in Colombia’s cocaine trade.
Rojas was a senior figure in Comandos de la Frontera, an armed organization operating primarily in Putumayo, a major coca-producing region near Colombia’s borders with Ecuador and Peru.
Colombian authorities arrested him in February 2025, and the country’s Supreme Court later authorized his extradition. But the transfer stalled under former President Gustavo Petro, whose government was pursuing negotiations with several armed factions. Petro gave Rojas a role in those talks, effectively keeping him in Colombia while negotiations continued.
That changed after conservative President Abelardo de la Espriella won office in June. His administration abandoned the previous government’s negotiations with rebel organizations and moved quickly to send Rojas to the United States.
CBS writes that De la Espriella personally oversaw the transfer and said Colombia should not shield accused drug traffickers in the name of pursuing peace. He also called on U.S. prosecutors to ensure any eventual agreement with Rojas does not allow him to avoid accountability. READ MORE AT SOURCE »
« Back to The Culture War
