Resumen : Este ensayo hace parte de la investigacion en curso: “El canje de prisioneros en la historia de Colombia” que financia la Universidad Autonoma de Colombia. Es un estudio comparativo sobre la forma como en Mexico durante la decada de los sesenta del siglo XIX, y en Guatemala, El Salvador y Nicaragua, durante las decadas finales del siglo XX se adelantaron procesos de intercambio de soldados y policias en manos de grupos subversivos por guerrilleros presos en las carceles oficiales. Esta inspirado en la busqueda de experiencias y soluciones que al respecto hayan vivido naciones que padecieron durante largos anos un conflicto armado interno y que nos pueda servir de ensenanza a los colombianos para adelantar un proceso de paz que le ponga fin a una guerra estructural, barbara y cruel que hemos padecido por mas de 50 anos. Palabras clave: Guerra, canje, intercambio humanitario, conflicto armado interno, guerra de guerrillas, proceso de paz Abstract This essay makes part of the ongoing research ”Prisoner exchange in the history of Colombia” that Universidad Autonoma de Colombia has funded. It is a comparative study on the way the exchange of soldiers and policemen who were in the hands of the guerilla groups for guerilla men who were in official jails was carried out in Mexico in the decade of the 60’s in the XIX century as well as in Guatemala and Salvador at the end of the XX Century. The research is aimed at searching for experiences and solutions that were lived in countries that suffered an inner armed conflict which can help Colombians with their teachings so that we can develop a peace process that puts an end to the structural, barbarian and cruel war we have suffered for over 50 years. Key words: Guerilla, exchange, humanitarian interchange, inner armed conflict, guerrilla war, peace process