ELN Declares Lockdown in Colombia Over Trump’s Intervention Threats

Colombia’s ELN guerrilla group has imposed a three-day lockdown on communities in areas it controls, beginning on Sunday, due to perceived threats of intervention from former US President Donald Trump. The announcement was made on Friday, citing Trump’s earlier comments asserting that any nation producing cocaine for the United States would be “subject to attack.”

The ELN, which stands for the National Liberation Army, is the oldest active guerrilla group in the Americas, with a significant presence in key drug-producing regions of Colombia. The group has declared its intention to defend the country against what it describes as Trump’s “imperialist intervention” threats. Civilians living in ELN-controlled territories have been instructed to remain indoors for 72 hours, starting at 06:00 on Sunday, and to avoid main roads and navigable rivers to prevent accidental encounters with fighters.

According to the Insight Crime research center, the ELN has approximately 5,800 combatants and operates in over 20% of Colombia’s more than 1,100 municipalities. While the group claims to be motivated by leftist and nationalist principles, its activities are deeply entwined with the drug trade, positioning it as one of the region’s most formidable organized crime entities. It competes for territory and control over lucrative coca plantations and trafficking routes, especially against dissident factions of the FARC that chose not to disarm following a 2016 peace deal.

One of the ELN’s primary strongholds is the Catatumbo region, located near the Venezuelan border, known for its high concentration of coca crops. Reports suggest an ELN presence across the border, allegedly collaborating with Venezuela‘s armed forces, although Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has denied these claims. The ELN’s offensive in Catatumbo, which began in January, resulted in over 100 fatalities during clashes with FARC dissidents, marking the bloodiest conflict since President Gustavo Petro took office in August 2022 and effectively halting two years of peace talks.

Colombia remains the world’s leading producer of cocaine, as indicated by the United Nations data. The relationship between Bogotá and Washington, historically robust, has faced strain under Petro’s administration. The Colombian president has openly criticized Trump, labeling him “rude and ignorant” and drawing parallels to historical figures like Adolf Hitler. Additionally, Petro has condemned the treatment of migrants by the Trump administration and has raised concerns about what he describes as “extrajudicial executions” of nearly 90 individuals in U.S. military strikes targeting alleged drug traffickers.

Tensions have escalated further, with Petro criticizing the U.S. military’s positioning near Venezuela, where Maduro perceives a potential regime-change threat disguised as an anti-drug operation. In response, Washington has accused Petro’s government of insufficient action against drug trafficking and imposed sanctions. Though Trump previously removed Colombia from the list of allies in the narcotics fight, the country has yet to face severe repercussions, potentially awaiting the outcome of the anticipated right-leaning shift in the 2026 elections.

As the situation unfolds, the impact of the ELN’s lockdown and the geopolitical dynamics with the United States will likely continue to shape Colombia’s complex landscape, both socially and politically.