by Admin
Jan 24, 2025
Following a week of violence that has resulted in the deaths of at least 80 individuals and the displacement of 40,000 others due to clashes between rival armed groups over drug trafficking territory in northeastern Colombia.
President Gustavo Petro reached out to Venezuela on Thursday to suggest a collaborative initiative aimed at eradicating armed gangs along the border.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro disclosed that he has been in communication with the current Venezuelan government, proposing a “joint plan to eradicate armed gangs along the border.” Colombia is facing significant challenges in managing violence in the mountainous northeastern Catatumbo region, where a 5,800-strong leftist rebel group has been targeting rival factions and their supposed supporters.
The National Liberation Army (ELN) is attempting to establish dominance over a section of the border that encompasses key plantations and trafficking routes responsible for a substantial portion of the world’s cocaine supply.
According to Jorge Arturo Jimenez, Colombia’s chief forensic officer, the remains of a baby and two young teenagers were among those found in the region.
This surge in violence has plunged Colombia into one of its most severe security crises in recent years, undermining the government’s aspirations to disarm one of the nation’s most powerful militias peacefully.
Prodesq News reports that on Thursday, traveling journalists in rebel-controlled regions observed armed members of the ELN openly supervising checkpoints.
However, President Petro’s strategy regarding Venezuela is laden with potential challenges.
Colombian intelligence agencies claim that the ELN has historically received support and protection from Venezuela, with some of its leaders reportedly residing across the border.
President Petro’s choice to engage with President Nicolás Maduro’s administration so soon after allegations of election theft against the democratic opposition is likely to incite discontent.
Meanwhile, Venezuela has accused Colombia of harboring leaders of the Tren de Aragua, one of the largest gangs in Venezuela, which is estimated to have around 5,000 members active throughout Latin America.
This group is involved in various criminal activities, including migrant smuggling, drug trafficking, kidnappings, and racketeering, and has been targeted by President Donald Trump for inclusion on the United States list of terrorist organizations.