The National Liberation Army (ELN), inspired by the Cuban revolution, was founded as an ideological movement in 1964. The armed group has an intense presence in both Colombia and Venezuela as they run illegal gold mines, maintain drug trafficking routes, kidnap for ransom, and attack oil infrastructure in both countries. Peace talks with the ELN began in 2019, were paused after a car bomb attack, and then resumed in 2022 with international support. Last year, the ELN reached a compromise with the government: they agreed to suspend kidnappings if they government would grant them financial support for their lost revenue. Both groups have decided to extend it’s expiration date, which should have been last week.
The extension of the truce encourages hope that there will be a more peaceful future, especially since both the United States and the European Union have officially recognized the ELN as a terrorist organization. Considering this recognition, the Colombian and Venezuelan governments must proceed with caution in order to protect their national security from further aggressive action. Though the cease-fire provides temporary relief, it is not designed to be a permanent solution. Thus, the government will need to continue peace talks with the ELN and reach a more sustainable remedy.
In class we have discussed the different classifications of conflict. The conflict that existed between the two countries and the ELN was an armed conflict, as the rebel group had launched armed attacks against the two states’ authorities. The motivation behind the ELN movement was to gain control of strategic drug trafficking locations. Thus, it would be considered a conflict of interest over territory. As far as scope, it would be classified as a local conflict because it only involves the rebel group and the two neighboring countries. The ELN’s actions are offensive toward Colombia and Venezuela as they acted unprovoked. It is an example of unconventional warfare because the ELN’s acts are considered to be terrorism.