TRES BOCAS, Colombia — The Colombian border village of Tres Bocas has become a ghost town as its residents flee to neighboring Venezuela to escape a new wave of violence in Colombia’s Catatumbo region that has left at least 80 dead and displaced thousands.
More than 18,000 people have fled the northeastern region as fighting between the National Liberation Army (ELN) and a rival group known as FARC-EMC intensifies, according to the United Nations. Of those who fled, around 1,000 found refuge in Venezuela.
“Many of them are afraid of the exchanges of fire that have broken out” in rural areas, said Jaime Botero, president of a community association in the town of Tibu, located about 10 km west of Tres Bocas. .
Located on Colombia’s border with Venezuela, the Catatumbo region has around 300,000 inhabitants and produces 15% of Colombia’s coca harvest.
The FARC-EMC and the ELN have long fought for control of the region and its lucrative drug trafficking routes, but recently reached a truce.
But violence escalated last week when ELN members attacked civilians, accusing them of collaborating with the FARC-EMC. ELN rebels reportedly dragged people from their homes and shot them at point-blank range.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro suspended peace talks with the ELN on Friday, accusing the rebels of committing war crimes. On Monday evening, Petro announced he would issue an emergency executive order that would allow him to pass legislation relating to the conflict without congressional approval.
On Tuesday, the United Nations urged the ELN and other armed groups in the Catatumbo region to respect the “human rights of civilians.”
The UN said two human rights defenders from the region were killed in violence that erupted last week.
____
Rueda reported from Bogota, Colombia.
____
Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
