More than 80 people were killed in the country's northeast over the weekend following the government's failed attempts to hold peace talks with the National Liberation Army, a Colombian official said.

The unusually deadly violence delivers a devastating blow to the “total peace” program of the country’s first leftist president, Gustavo Petro.

At least 80 people were killed in northeast Colombia following failed attempts at peace talks with the National Liberation Army, a Colombian official said.