Colombia ex-guerrillas fear De la Espriella war pledge

Former Colombian guerrillas who laid down their weapons under a deal with outgoing President Gustavo Petro fear their future under president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella, who has pledged to end negotiations with armed groups and wage war on them instead.

The 99-member group disbanded two months ago and is now in a special zone for ex-guerrillas in the southern Putumayo region. De la Espriella is due to replace Petro on Friday.

Derlis Aizama, 24, who left the armed group with her partner Daniel Paredes, said she felt unsafe but wanted to rebuild her life and start a family. Another former fighter, Darwin, said he had no intention of returning to combat.

The group was part of the National Coordinating Committee of the Bolivarian Army, which operates in cocaine-producing territory near Colombia's border with Ecuador.

De la Espriella has not made any statements specifically about the group in Putumayo. Armando Novoa, the government representative who negotiated with the group, said international humanitarian law protects the ex-guerrillas and warned that ignoring their situation could push them back toward violence.