Voz media US Voz.us

Intelligence report reveals ELN terrorist group traveled from Venezuela to Colombia and killed at least 80

Amid rising tensions following the ELN massacre, the regime of Nicolás Maduro announced the closing of its borders.

(ARCHIVO) Un miembro del Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN) descansa cerca del río Baudo en la provincia de Choco, Colombia, el 26 de octubre de 2023.

An ELN guerrilla, in a file photo.AFP

Published by

A military intelligence report leaked to RCN Radio has revealed that members of the National Liberation Army (ELN) traveled from Venezuela to Colombia to carry out a terrorist escalation in the Catatumbo region.

According to the report, the guerrillas crossed through the Venezuelan states of Tachira and Zulia, illegally crossing the border. This attack comes amid a serious crisis of violence in the area, where fighting between the ELN and dissidents of the Frente 33 of the FARC has already left at least 80 dead and more than 32,000 displaced in just five days.

Border between Colombia and Brazil closed

On Wednesday, the dictatorial regime of Nicolás Maduro closed the border between Colombia and Brazil, under the pretext of carrying out military exercises. This maneuver comes a few days after his illegitimate presidential swearing-in, an act widely rejected by the international community as a result of an electoral process plagued by allegations of fraud and manipulation.

Venezuelan authorities blocked the main border crossings with Colombia, such as the Atanasio Girardot bridge in Norte de Santander and the La Union crossing, as well as the Pacaraima border crossing in Brazil. Images disseminated on social networks showed the presence of Venezuelan troops and military equipment, accompanied by security barriers and cones that prevented the transit of vehicles and pedestrians.

From Brazil, authorities confirmed that the suspension of traffic was informally communicated by the Venezuelan regime. The exercises, called "Escudo Bolivariano 2025," mobilized more than 150,000 troops throughout the country and, according to Maduro, seek to "guarantee peace, sovereignty and true democracy."

However, tensions increased following reports that Venezuelan military aircraft flew over the border region of Norte de Santander. Although the Colombian Military Forces affirmed that there were no airspace violations, the incident generated alarm in a context already marked by increased violence in Colombia.

Colombia urges Venezuela to stop the ELN

In the midst of this tense climate, Colombia's outgoing foreign minister, Luis Gilberto Murillo, asked Venezuela to take urgent measures to stop the ELN from crossing the border. From New York, Murillo stressed the importance of preventing Venezuelan territory from being used as a platform for the operations of this guerrilla group. This call comes at a critical moment, as fighting in Catatumbo continues to claim lives and displace thousands of people.

Brazilian maneuvers

The border closure and military exercises occur as Brazil also prepares for its largest military training of the year, the Operation Atlas, scheduled for November 2025 near the Venezuelan border. This exercise would seek to strengthen Brazilian response capacity to possible escalations of tension with Caracas, mobilizing 8,000 officers and military equipment.

tracking