More than 80 people killed in Colombia as truce between rebel groups collapses
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Colombia Mulls Declaring State of Exception as Dozens Killed in Guerrilla Violence
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Above: Police officers and Colombia's Civil Defense members unload humanitarian aid for displaced people from recent clashes between armed groups in Tibu, Norte de Santader Department, on Jan. 19, 2025. Image copyright: Schneyder Mendoza/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
Colombia's Pres. Gustavo Petro is considering declaring a state of internal disturbance — the first in more than 15 years — to give the military exceptional powers to quell guerrilla violence in the Catatumbo region of Norte de Santander, local news outlets reported on Monday.
This comes as 5K troops have already been deployed to the northeastern cocaine-growing region where the National Liberation Army (ELN) launched an offensive last Thursday against dissidents of the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
The Spin
Left narrative
Unlike past peace processes, the ambitious Total Peace sought to finally bring the country's decades-long armed conflict to an end, ensuring that guerrillas would not be persecuted once demobilized and disarmed. That talks with the ELN have once again been called off doesn't discredit the plan — there has been success in talks with other groups.
Right narrative
Total Peace was always a failure waiting to happen, as there were no incentives to stop armed groups from continuing to expand their territorial control. It's certain that Bogotá did sign cease-fires with some guerrilla groups, but the truth is that violence has risen under Petro.
