Gustavo Petro Declares “State of Emergency” Due to Crisis in Catatumbo

This Friday, the Government of Colombia announced a decree of state of internal commotion due to the security crisis in the Catatumbo region, caused by clashes with guerrilla groups. The measure was taken in an effort to resolve the serious humanitarian situation affecting the population.

What does this decree mean?

The Government issued the State of Internal Commotion Decree in the Catatumbo region, the municipalities in the Cúcuta metropolitan area, and the municipalities of Río de Oro and González in the Cesar department.

This aims to address the situation of grave disturbance… pic.twitter.com/QyjmrAcyeC

— Presidencia Colombia 🇨🇴 (@infopresidencia) January 24, 2025

President Gustavo Petro and his government team established a deadline of 90 days to address the crisis. The decree recognizes that Catatumbo is an area of conflict between various armed groups, such as the ELN, the FARC dissidents, and other criminal organizations.

The ELN and its attacks on the civilian population

The Government also mentioned that the ELN has intensified its attacks, especially against people who signed the peace agreement. These attacks are mainly funded with money from illegal activities in the region.

“The ELN has increased its attacks and violence against the civilian population, especially against the signatories of the peace agreement,” stated the Government’s official communiqué.

What is the Colombian Government doing?

The Government reported that intelligence services detected that the ELN sent troops from Arauca to join a paramilitary group fighting against the FARC dissidents in the region.

Since January 16, 2025, the situation in Catatumbo has worsened due to the military deployment and violent actions by the ELN. This has created a serious humanitarian crisis, especially affecting the most vulnerable people.

How will the Government act with this decree?

The state of internal commotion decree is a special measure aimed at using quick tools to halt the crisis’s progression and prevent it from worsening. The main goal is to restore public services in the area, regain territorial control with the help of security forces, and stop further forced displacement of people.

The Government also pointed out that, due to the lack of economic resources, it will need to make adjustments to the national budget in order to address the situation in the Catatumbo region effectively.