Colombia’s Petro Authorizes Military Action Against ELN Guerrilla Group
Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro has ordered a full-scale military offensive against the National Liberation Army (ELN) following the guerrilla group’s imposition of a 72-hour armed strike, restricting civilian movement in areas under their control. The decisive action, announced on Monday, signals a dramatic shift in Petro’s strategy toward the ELN after previous attempts at negotiation proved fruitless.
Petro’s order came after the ELN called for the confinement of populations in several cities, ostensibly to conduct military exercises. However, the president dismissed these claims, labeling them a pretext for illicit activities. “We will not allow ourselves to be threatened” by “traquetos (drug traffickers) dressed as revolutionaries,” Petro stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Escalation Follows Failed Peace Talks
The move represents a significant escalation in Colombia’s ongoing struggle against armed groups. Petro, who assumed office in 2022, initially pursued a path of dialogue with the ELN, hoping to achieve a lasting peace agreement. However, negotiations collapsed in January after the guerrilla group was implicated in the deaths of over 100 people in a region bordering Venezuela. This violence effectively ended any immediate prospects for a negotiated settlement.
The ELN, founded in 1964 and inspired by the Cuban revolution, maintains a presence in at least 20% of Colombia’s more than 1,100 municipalities, according to data from the Insight Crime study center. The group’s influence extends across a wide geographical area, posing a persistent challenge to state authority.
Immediate Military Response & Civilian Impact
The Colombian army has already reported thwarting three attempted ELN attacks using explosives on roads in the departments of Norte de Santander and Cauca. The armed strike imposed by the ELN restricts the mobility of civilians for 72 hours, placing them at risk. Tragically, the situation has already claimed at least one life: police reported the shooting death of an ambulance driver in Puerto Santander, a municipality on the border with Venezuela.
The ELN justified the strike by claiming it was preparing for potential “threats of intervention” from former U.S. President Donald Trump. Petro vehemently refuted this assertion, characterizing it as a fabrication intended to mask the group’s involvement in drug trafficking.
Here is the tweet from President Petro regarding the situation:
These are not threats to Trump, they are threats to Colombia and the Bolívar project of Gran Colombia
The ELN never understood that the most revolutionary thing it could do was to combine in practice the effective love of Camilo Torres Restrepo with the peace of the country. He didn’t understand that… pic.twitter.com/e9vl3axRzP
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) December 14, 2025
A Shift in Strategy and Future Outlook
Petro’s decision to authorize military action against the ELN marks a clear departure from his earlier emphasis on negotiation. The president’s firm stance underscores his commitment to protecting Colombian citizens and asserting state sovereignty. While the military offensive aims to dismantle the ELN’s operational capabilities, the long-term implications for peace and stability in Colombia remain uncertain. The situation highlights the complex challenges facing the country as it seeks to address the root causes of armed conflict and build a more secure future.
