The Economist: Why do Colombians fight as mercenaries in foreign wars?
The involvement of former Colombian soldiers in foreign wars is no longer a marginal phenomenon, but a direct reflection of the intersection of internal crises in Colombia with a growing global mercenary market.
From Ukraine to Sudan to Cartels in Mexico, thousands of Colombians are involved in conflicts that have nothing to do with their homeland, driven by economic factors, social pressures, and the absence of effective policies to integrate veterans into civilian life.
In an investigative report, the Economist examined the increasing involvement of former Colombian soldiers in armed conflicts outside their country, as their military expertise has become a popular commodity in a growing global market for private military action, attracting experienced fighters from countries with economic and institutional gaps.
The report monitored how social media platforms, especially TikTok, have turned into open arenas for recruitment, luring veterans to fight on distant fronts, such as Ukraine and Sudan, or even to work for organized crime gangs in Mexico, in exchange for promises of high wages.
According to the Economist magazine, the number of Colombians currently involved in foreign conflicts is estimated at 10,000 people, including almost 3,000 fighters in Ukraine alone, making Colombia one of the most prominent exporting countries for foreign fighters in contemporary conflicts.
The report explained that thousands of Colombians have participated in the Ukraine war since it broke out in 2022, some in the ranks of the Ukrainian army, others alongside Russian forces, as they constitute one of the largest foreign blocs in that conflict.
The report also monitored the presence of Colombian fighters in the war in Sudan, as well as the involvement of others in criminal violence networks in Mexico.
The majority of these are former military personnel, who have accumulated combat experience during decades of civil war against armed groups such as the leftist rebel FARC.
Their NATO-compliant training, as a result of close military cooperation with the United States, gives them a competitive advantage in the international mercenary market, where they can be deployed quickly and at a lower cost than their Western counterparts.
Many soldiers who have been demobilized from military service fall into the trap of human trafficking and disinformation networks, as they are tricked into taking on light security tasks only to find themselves in direct confrontation with drones and heavy artillery.
The absence of a national policy in Colombia to support veterans after retirement is the main driver of this combat migration: a soldier who leaves the service at the age of 45 suddenly finds himself without housing or institutional support, and with a meager pension of just $400, making foreign contracts, despite their deadly risks, seem like an economic lifeline.
In its report, The Economist warned of serious diplomatic and security repercussions for Colombia, especially after its citizens were implicated in international assassinations and war crimes.
The absence of a national policy in Colombia to support veterans after retirement is the primary driver of this combat migration
Although Bogotá recently ratified the United Nations Convention against Mercenaries, the report argues that this step won’t limit the flow of fighters unless the state undertakes internal reforms that ensure the integration of these combatants into civilian life with dignity, especially in light of the growing global demand for armed force to protect investments in fragile conflict zones around the world.
