Colombian residents seek refuge in Venezuela amid increasing violence between rebel factions in border area known for coca production
TRES BOCAS, Colombia—The Colombian border village of Tres Bocas has turned into a ghost town as residents escape to neighboring Venezuela to evade a recent surge of violence in Colombia’s Catatumbo region. The violence has resulted in at least 80 fatalities and the displacement of thousands.
According to the United Nations, over 18,000 individuals have fled the northeastern region due to escalating conflicts between the National Liberation Army (ELN) and a rival faction known as the FARC-EMC. Of those who have fled, around 1,000 have sought refuge in Venezuela.
Jaime Botero, the president of a community association in the town of Tibu, which is located about 6 miles west of Tres Bocas, stated, “Many are fearful of the gunfights erupting in rural areas.”
Situated along Colombia’s border with Venezuela, the Catatumbo region is home to approximately 300,000 residents and accounts for 15 percent of Colombia’s coca crop.
The FARC-EMC and the ELN have long been vying for control of the region and its profitable drug trafficking pathways, though they had recently observed a truce.
Jose Mejia sits inside a shelter for people displaced following guerrilla attacks that have killed dozens of people and forced thousands to flee their homes in Tibu, Colombia, on Jan. 21, 2025. Fernando Vergara/AP Photo
However, violence escalated last week when ELN members targeted civilians, accusing them of collaborating with the FARC-EMC. Reports indicate that ELN rebels dragged people from their homes and shot them at close range.
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Colombian President Gustavo Petro halted peace negotiations with the ELN on Friday, citing the rebels’ involvement in war crimes. On Monday night, Petro announced his intention to issue an emergency decree allowing him to enact conflict-related legislation without the need for congressional approval.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres denounced the killing of civilians, including former combatants who signed the 2016 peace agreement, in the violence, according to U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq. He expressed concern over the displacement of thousands of civilians.
“The secretary-general is calling for an immediate cessation of violence against civilians and for unimpeded humanitarian access,” Haq stated on Tuesday.
The United Nations urged the ELN and other armed groups in the Catatumbo region to uphold civilians’ rights, noting that two human rights advocates were slain last week.
By Fernando Vergara and Manuel Rueda
