ELN Holds Catatumbo as U.S. Drug Campaign Raises Stakes for Fragile Peace Talks

ELN Holds Catatumbo as U.S. Drug Campaign Raises Stakes for Fragile Peace Talks

The Catatumbo region along Colombia's border with Venezuela — in the department of Norte de Santander — is among the country's most volatile frontiers. Rich in oil and coca but chronically neglected, the area has long been contested by armed groups vying for territorial control and access to smuggling routes.

The National Liberation Army (ELN), Colombia’s largest remaining guerrilla organisation, maintains a strong and organised presence in much of Catatumbo and operates across the porous frontier with Venezuela. An Al Jazeera team was escorted by ELN fighters to meet commanders in the region, underscoring how embedded the group is in local life.

Displacement and Local Control

Tensions surged in January when clashes between the ELN and a dissident faction of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) forced thousands to flee their homes. Combatants are fighting for control of territory and critical border routes used to move illicit drugs out of Colombia.

On entering the area, there was little evidence of a government military presence: ELN flags line secondary roads and local signage communicates the group's political messaging. Mobile phone reception is also reportedly unavailable because telecom firms avoid operating where armed groups demand taxes from businesses.

Talks, Commanders and Capacity

President Gustavo Petro campaigned on a "total peace" plan to engage Colombia's armed groups, but negotiations with the ELN have been difficult. Officials suspended talks after the Catatumbo fighting but say they are ready to resume negotiations.

In a brief mountain interview, commanders who identify themselves as Ricardo and Silvana told journalists they feared drone surveillance and potential attacks. When asked about their numbers in the area, they replied: "We are thousands, and not everyone is wearing their uniforms. Some are urban guerrillas." Bogotá estimates about 3,000 ELN fighters nationwide, though the true figure may be higher.

"The ELN has been battling for a political solution for 30 years with various difficulties. We believed that with Petro we would advance in the process. But that did not happen. There’s never been peace in Colombia. What we have is the peace of the graves." — Commander Ricardo

An International Dimension

Beyond domestic rivals, the conflict has been internationalised by U.S. operations targeting alleged drug vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific and by heightened U.S. pressure on Venezuela. The Trump administration labelled groups like the ELN "narco-terrorists" and at times signalled it would not rule out operations on Colombian soil. A U.S. campaign that began in early September reportedly killed more than 62 people and destroyed 14 boats and one semi-submersible; some of those killed were Venezuelan and Colombian nationals.

Several ELN commanders face U.S. extradition requests and are wanted by U.S. authorities, a point Colombian officials use to classify some leaders as criminals. The ELN views U.S. strikes and a regional military buildup as evidence of interference. "Why don’t they capture them and show the world what they captured and what they are trafficking? But no, they erase them with a bomb," Commander Ricardo said, accusing U.S. forces of destroying rather than seizing vessels.

Commander Ricardo also warned that U.S. action against Venezuela could prompt a broader regional response: "In the hypothesis that [the U.S.] attacks Venezuela, we will have to see how we respond... I am sure there are going to be many, many people who will grab a weapon and fight."

History, Claims and Consequences

Inspired by the Cuban revolution, the ELN has been implicated over decades in kidnappings, extortion, killings and involvement in drug-related economies. Commander Silvana, who joined as a teenager, rejected the notion that the ELN is purely a drug-trafficking gang: "Our principles indicate that we are not involved in drug trafficking. We tax the territories we control, and where there is coca we tax it."

President Petro has criticised U.S. military operations near Venezuela as relics of Cold War thinking that risk escalating tensions rather than promoting cooperation. Former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly accused Petro of being a drug trafficker, drawing a sharp rebuke from Colombia's president and foreign ministry, which described the remarks as offensive and a threat to sovereignty.

Analysts warn that a belligerent U.S. posture toward Venezuela and Colombia—both led by left-leaning presidents—could transform a localized Colombian conflict into a broader regional crisis. Communities, state actors and armed groups in Catatumbo are now assessing possible responses if U.S. forces receive authority to strike targets in the region.