Colombia has extradited accused drug lord Geovany Andres Rojas, known as ‘The Spider’, to the United States, where he faces federal drug trafficking and terrorism charges.

Rojas was flown to California on Friday and placed in the custody of US federal agents. Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella personally oversaw the transfer.

Rojas allegedly served as commander and spokesman of Comandos de la Frontera, an armed group formed by former members of the FARC rebel movement. It controls cocaine trafficking routes in Putumayo province, along the borders with Ecuador and Peru.

His extradition was delayed for months after Colombia’s previous government named him a peace negotiator. Former President Gustavo Petro shielded him from extradition to use him in talks with armed groups.

De la Espriella, who took office in August, abandoned that approach. ‘You don’t build peace by protecting narco-terrorists like this bandit,’ he said after overseeing the transfer.

Bogota authorities arrested Rojas in February 2025, and Colombia’s Supreme Court approved his transfer that October.

Why it matters: the handover signals closer security ties between Washington and Bogota as the US widens counter-narcotics operations in Latin America.