Name: Colombian rebels hit by U.S strikes amid push for peace talks
Uploaded: 2025-11-01T21:31:42.510Z
Duration: 3 min 1 s
Description: The U.S military has struck several vessels in the Caribbean over the last two months accusing them of smuggling drugs. One of the boats allegedly belonged to the ELN, a Colombian rebel group.

The U.S military has struck several vessels in the Caribbean over the last two months accusing them of smuggling drugs. One of the boats allegedly belonged to the ELN, a Colombian rebel group.

Catatumbo Region

The United States has conducted strikes against boats allegedly linked to Colombia's National Liberation Army (ELN) in the Caribbean, as the Colombian government signals readiness to restart peace talks with the rebel group. The ELN, the largest guerrilla organization in Latin America, operates primarily in the Catatumbo region near the Venezuelan border, an area currently experiencing high tensions and displacement due to ongoing conflict.

US actions, described by some as acts of imperialism, have drawn criticism from ELN commanders, who deny involvement in drug trafficking and warn that further intervention could escalate local conflicts into regional ones. The situation remains tense as both the Colombian government and the ELN weigh the prospects for a political solution amid international involvement.

Colombian rebels hit by U.S strikes amid push for peace talks

They are the largest guerrilla group in Latin America, Colombia's ELN or the National Liberation Army. Some of their fighters picked us up in a town located in the Catatumbo region, close to Colombia's border with Venezuela. We're heading to meet some of the commanders of the National Liberation Army in this area. Even though there's no presence of the military here, we have been told that they have seen some attack or reconnaissance drones, so we have to be careful. Tensions are high in this part of Colombia. After fighting between the ELN and another armed group, displaced thousands of people. Gustavo Petro's government says they are ready to restart talks. Commander Ricardo, who is in charge of the region, says he believes there could be a chance. There has never been peace in Colombia. What we have is the peace of the graves. But if the accords we reached in Mexico still apply, I believe our central command would agree and that we could open up a way for a political solution to this conflict. The US focus on drugs and on the government of neighboring Venezuela brought an international dimension to what was once an internal Colombian conflict. The Trump administration refers to these people not only as guerrillas but also as narco-terrorists and has not discarded the possibility of attacking them on Colombian soil. But these people say they have been fighting for decades and that they will adapt to whatever comes next. The US strikes on boats allegedly carrying drugs in the Caribbean and the military build-up in the region is seen as another act of US imperialism. The US government says one of those boats belonged to the ELN. Why don't they capture them and show the world what they captured? What are they trafficking? But no, they erase them with a bomb. If Trump attacks Venezuela, we'll have to see how we respond. But it's not just us, it's all of Latin America, because I'm sure there are going to be many people who will grab a weapon and fight because it's too much. The fact the United States can overstep people without respecting their self-determination has to end. The ELN was originally inspired by the Cuban Revolution and over the years it has been involved in kidnappings, killings and extortion. But Commander Silvana says the ELN is not like other armed groups. Our principles indicate that we are not involved in drug trafficking. We have told this to the international community. What we have is taxes in territories we have controlled for over 60 years. And if there is cocoa, of course we tax it too. The possibility of a US intervention risks turning local conflicts into regional ones. And everyone is assessing how they will respond.

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