Colombia’s Petro Orders Offensive Against ELN After Guerrilla’s Nationwide Threat

Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered security forces to attack the National Liberation Army (ELN) on Sunday after the outlaw guerrilla group announced a 72-hour nationwide “armed strike” and urged civilians in areas it controls to stay home. The escalation comes amid renewed tensions following deadly rebel actions earlier this year and growing international pressure over regional security, AP News reports.

ELN said the move was a response to what it described as threats of foreign intervention, citing recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump and increased regional military activity. The group called for a lockdown of transport routes, rivers and towns from Dec. 14-17, effectively halting commerce and public movement in several regions. Authorities warned that such “forced strikes” — a tactic ELN has used in the past to assert control — risked endangering civilians and disrupting critical services.

Petro orders offensive against ELN after nationwide shutdown threat

President Petro publicly rejected the ELN’s demands and framed the announcement as a threat to Colombians rather than an action aimed at external players. In a message posted on social media, Petro said: “These are not threats to Trump, they are threats to Colombia,” and added that he had given security forces orders “to attack ELN and defend the Colombian people against any external threat.” He also urged citizens to continue with holiday activities and not to be paralyzed by fear.

Colombia’s recent peace efforts with ELN have been fraught. According to Reuters, formal talks were suspended earlier in 2025 after a January offensive in Catatumbo that left more than 100 people dead and displaced tens of thousands, prompting Petro’s government to distance itself from negotiations and to pursue stronger security operations against irregular armed groups. The renewed confrontations mark a setback for Petro’s campaign promise of achieving “total peace” through dialogue and institutional policies.

Security officials said they would increase patrols and targeted operations in regions where ELN exerts influence, including border departments and parts of the Pacific and the north.

Local authorities in Bogota, Medellin, Cali, Popayan, and Barrancabermeja reported disruptions to transport and commerce after the strike call, though major urban centers largely remained open as residents heeded government appeals to carry on with normal life.

Analysts warned that the risk of clashes and reprisals — between state forces, ELN and criminal gangs — could further destabilize rural communities already suffering from coca-related violence.

International warning about risking noncombatants

International reactions were cautious. Al Jazeera informs that human-rights groups urged restraint from both sides, reminding parties of obligations to protect civilians and to avoid tactics — such as forced lockdowns or indiscriminate strikes — that put noncombatants at risk. Regional observers also noted the way external rhetoric has become intertwined with internal conflict dynamics, complicating efforts to separate diplomatic pressure from on-the-ground security responses.

As security forces prepare operations against ELN units, analysts say the immediate priorities will be minimizing civilian harm, protecting transport arteries, and preventing the conflict from spilling into densely populated areas during the holiday period. For Petro, the challenge is to demonstrate state control and protect citizens while keeping open the possibility of a negotiated end to the violence — a balance that has proved elusive for successive Colombian governments.