Jose Gonzalo Sanchez, the second in command of Colombia’s powerful Clan del Golfo criminal group, has died after a boat accident in the country’s northwest while traveling on activities linked to peace talks with the government, according to statements from both authorities and the armed group.
Sanchez, better known by the alias Gonzalito, drowned on Friday when the boat he was aboard overturned on the Esmeralda River in Cordoba department. The Clan del Golfo confirmed the incident in a statement released on Sunday, saying the vessel capsized while navigating the river.
Colombia’s Office of the High Commissioner for Peace acknowledged Sanchez’s death and said he had been involved in efforts connected to dialogue between the government and the armed group.
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In a statement, the office said it hoped the incident would not derail negotiations, which form part of President Gustavo Petro’s plan to reduce armed violence through dialogue alongside security operations.
Officials did not release further details about the accident, and there was no immediate suggestion of criminal involvement or security breaches.
Sanchez was widely viewed as a key operational figure within the Clan del Golfo, also known as the Gaitanist Self Defense Forces of Colombia. The group has a strong presence across northern and western regions and is deeply involved in drug trafficking, illegal mining, and extortion.
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In December, the United States formally designated the Clan del Golfo as a terrorist organization, citing its role in organised crime and regional instability.
Despite that designation, Colombia’s government has maintained contact with the group as part of its peace policy, arguing that dialogue is necessary to weaken armed structures that have survived decades of conflict.
President Petro’s administration has made negotiations with armed groups a central pillar of its security strategy, aimed at ending more than six decades of internal conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions.
While officials insist the talks will continue, analysts say the loss of a senior intermediary could complicate internal decision making within the group and slow progress in the short term.
