Colombians flee to Venezuela as clashes between rebel groups escalate in coca-rich border region
Associated PressJAN 25
Guerrilla Violence Triggers Displacement Crisis in Colombia
Above: Displaced people from recent clashes between armed leftist groups queue to receive donations at General Santander Stadium in Cúcuta, Norte de Santander province, Colombia, on Jan. 21, 2025. Image copyright: Yeison Picon/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
Renewed violence between the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissidents of the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in Colombia's northeastern region of Catatumbo has left at least 80 people dead and thousands displaced over the past week.
Government figures released on Tuesday show that more than 10% of the local population, some 32K people, have fled their homes. Most have sought refuge in the border city of Cúcuta, and at least 1K have crossed the border into Venezuela.
The week-long hostilities have disrupted education across the region as children and teenagers account for 35% of the displaced population and left families unable to reclaim the bodies of their loved ones for burial.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
A former guerrilla himself, Petro won the presidency with a bold plan to finally bring the decades-old internal conflict in Colombia to an end, but his so-called "total peace" has failed. Cease-fires with armed groups allowed them to expand as the government opted not to apply military pressure on them, and Colombia is now on the brink of another escalation.
Establishment-critical narrative
The so-called total peace never intended to achieve lasting peace in Colombia and tackle the root causes of conflict, as Bogotá has relied on dialogue to cause internal divisions within and among insurgent groups and de-politicize them. It's no surprise that this plan is actually doing more harm than good to local communities.
Metaculus Prediction
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