In northeastern Colombia, over 80 individuals have lost their lives following unsuccessful peace negotiations with the National Liberation Army (ELN), as reported by a local official. Governor William Villamizar of North Santander noted that twenty more individuals sustained injuries in these violent outbreaks, which primarily took place in the Catatumbo region near the Venezuela border.
Among those tragically killed was community leader Carmelo Guerrero, alongside seven individuals who were attempting to finalize a peace agreement, according to a report released by a government ombudsman agency over the weekend. The violent incidents occurred across multiple towns within Catatumbo, with reports of at least three individuals associated with the peace negotiations being abducted.
The violence has prompted mass evacuations, with thousands of people fleeing the conflict and seeking refuge in the surrounding lush mountains or at government-operated shelters. “Catatumbo needs help,” said Governor Villamizar in a public address, emphasizing the dire situation where families and children are arriving with nothing, using various means of transport including trucks and motorcycles, or even walking to escape the threats.
The attack follows a suspension of peace talks with the ELN, an action taken by Colombia just one day prior, marking the second time in less than a year that such negotiations have faltered. Colombian authorities have urged the ELN to halt all violent actions and permit aid organizations access to the affected areas.
Conflicts have arisen in Catatumbo between the ELN and dissidents from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a guerrilla group that formally disbanded in 2016 after signing a peace accord with the Colombian government. This clash is largely centered on territorial control of a strategic region rich in coca leaf cultivation.
In a statement released on Saturday, the ELN cautioned former FARC members that continued hostilities against the civilian population would result in inevitable armed confrontation. The ELN has accused the dissident group of several violent acts, including the brutal killing of a couple and their 9-month-old child earlier in January.
On Sunday, Colombia’s army announced the successful rescue of a local community leader and a relative who were being targeted by the ELN, yet many others remain in peril. Defense Minister Iván Velásquez was expected to visit Cúcuta, a town in the northeast, as officials coordinated the delivery of 10 tons of food and hygiene supplies meant for approximately 5,000 displaced individuals in Ocaña and Tibú.
The ELN has attempted to establish a peace agreement with President Gustavo Petro’s administration on five separate occasions, yet each effort has failed due to subsequent bouts of violence. The group has demanded formal recognition as a political rebel organization, a request met with considerable skepticism from critics who warn of the potential risks involved.
