Colombia's Petro Orders ELN Camp Bombing Under Venezuela Cooperation Agreement
Primary region South America
Tags Security · Diplomacy
Regions South America
Colombian President Gustavo Petro confirmed he ordered a bombing raid on an ELN guerrilla camp in Norte de Santander near the Venezuelan border, under a cooperation agreement with Venezuela's government. The military reported seven ELN fighters killed in the operation in Tibu municipality, targeting the Frente Luis Enrique Leon Guerra. This was the third such bombing under Petro's government. Petro said the ELN is not part of any peace agreement due to its systematic killing of unarmed farmers in Catatumbo. The operation coincided with Venezuelan authorities conducting separate actions against ELN members in Zulia state.
Strategic interpretation
The Colombia-Venezuela security cooperation against the ELN represents a significant shift, given the historically tense relationship between the two countries. Petro's willingness to conduct military operations near the border with Venezuelan coordination suggests a pragmatic approach to security that transcends his ideological alignment with Caracas. However, the ELN's claim that the bombing fell in the void and the group's use of drones against troops indicate the conflict in Catatumbo remains far from resolved.