WILLEMSTAD — The commander of one of Colombia’s largest guerrilla movements has publicly supported the idea of a united front of left-wing fighters to resist potential military action by the United States, sources report. His comments reflect deepening concerns among armed groups in the region following recent U.S. operations in neighbouring Venezuela.
In an interview with AFP, Antonio García, leader of the National Liberation Army (ELN), said his group would join forces with others “to defend the homeland against foreign aggression.” García’s remarks come amid fears in Colombia that, after the U.S. military’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, his country could be the next target of American military pressure.
Experts say the ELN controls significant stretches of the border region between Colombia and Venezuela and is one of the most powerful armed groups in Latin America, with links to drug trafficking and decades of insurgency. In recent days, other rebel leaders have called for broader alliances among insurgent factions to counter what they describe as U.S. interventionism in the region.
Statements from the ELN characterize U.S. actions in Venezuela as an infringement on national sovereignty and call for solidarity among fighters to resist external influence. Similar sentiments have been echoed by other groups that see recent developments as part of a broader U.S. strategy in Latin America.
The U.S. has not ruled out future military action in Colombia, according to recent reporting, contributing to national anxieties in Bogotá about sovereignty and regional security. Colombian President Gustavo Petro has publicly expressed concern about the possibility of U.S. military involvement following events in Venezuela.
The situation highlights the complex and volatile dynamics at play in northern South America, where longstanding internal conflicts intersect with shifting international geopolitics. As armed groups react to external pressure and regional political developments, security concerns along the Colombia-Venezuela border remain high.