BOGOTÁ, Colombia — The Colombian government is reinstating arrest warrants against key leaders of the country’s largest rebel faction following a series of attacks on civilians amid an escalating conflict with dissident guerrillas. This strife centers around a coca-growing region near the border with Venezuela, which has become a hotbed of violence.
President Gustavo Petro, who heads a leftist administration, had previously paused warrants for the top commanders of the National Liberation Army (ELN) in 2022. This move was made in hopes of encouraging the long-established insurgency to engage in peace negotiations.
On Wednesday, the chief prosecutor’s office announced that arrest orders were issued for 31 leaders of the ELN, including Pablo Beltrán, who has been serving as the primary negotiator for the ELN in the stalled peace discussions, and Antonio García, the group’s principal military commander.
In a reaction to the ongoing violence, President Petro, a former member of the M-19 guerrilla group, has decided to suspend the peace talks entirely. As fighting escalates in Colombia’s Catatumbo region, there have been reports of at least 80 fatalities and the displacement of thousands over the last week. Many of the estimated 18,000 people forced from their homes have sought refuge in Venezuela.
The conflict has intensified as various armed factions vie for control over significant drug trafficking routes, which have been instrumental in the recent surge in cocaine production within Colombia. Analysts are uncertain about what has prompted this breakdown in a fragile ceasefire, although there are suggestions that the ELN may be losing its grip in its traditional northeastern territories due to the increasing power of FARC dissidents.
Luis Gilberto Murillo, Colombia’s Foreign Minister, made a statement to the U.N. Security Council, asserting that the Colombian government is committed to holding accountable those responsible for the recent violence, asserting that it includes the murder of 2016 peace agreement signatories and innocent civilians in Catatumbo.
“We unreservedly denounce the war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated by both the ELN and dissident factions,” he stated, firmly condemning the recent killings of peace agreement signatories.
Murillo emphasized that the discussions with the ELN were halted because “peace requires reciprocity,” and he urged global cooperation in supporting the government’s stance. He affirmed that Colombia remains steadfast in its dedication to peace, stating, “Peace continues to be our cornerstone commitment.”
The top U.N. official in Colombia, Carlos Ruiz Massieu, also expressed his disapproval of the violence in Catatumbo, which he claimed resulted from an ELN offensive against a locale inhabited by rival armed forces. He described the killings as “an attack on peace itself” and reiterated the urgent need for armed groups to cease actions that jeopardize the safety of civilians, including community activists and peace agreement signatories.
Massieu highlighted that Catatumbo, along with numerous other areas of Colombia, is still waiting for the benefits promised by the 2016 peace deal, particularly a strong state presence that can provide essential services, legitimate economic activities, development prospects, and security.
He remarked, “In the absence of government presence, illegal armed groups vie for territorial and social dominance,” underscoring that fulfilling the peace agreement is crucial for achieving sustainable solutions to the roots of armed conflict.
