Colombia: Army on alert after threats by ELN guerrillas

Colombia has put its army on alert after the ELN guerrillas announced a three-day "armed strike" which aims to paralyze the country under threat, the government announced on Monday. "All units in the country are on high alert to meet any requirement to protect citizens," said Defense Minister Carlos Holmes. The authorities will "respond with all adequate and legitimate firmness (...) to the threats of these terrorists," he added.

In a statement posted on social media, Commander Uriel of the National Liberation Army (ELN, Guévariste) announced that the rebel group would impose an "armed strike on national territory for 72 hours" from Friday. The ELN has around 2,300 combatants and operates in 10% of the municipalities in the territory, according to official figures and independent organizations.

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The guerrillas have already announced such "armed strikes" in the past, but in the territories under its control, never throughout the national territory. "Respecting this order not to circulate on the transport routes during the 72 hour armed strike is in the best interest of the population, being careful and staying at home will avoid regretting the consequences" , threatens the armed group in its message. However, he said he would respect the evacuation of patients to hospitals and transportation in the event of a funeral.

The government of conservative President Ivan Duque broke off the peace negotiations between the ELN and his predecessor, President Juan Manuel Santos (2010-2018), after a guerrilla attack on the country's main police school in Bogota , which left 22 dead.

The ELN is the last active guerrilla in Colombia, since the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) laid down their arms in 2016 as part of a peace agreement signed with the government of the former president and Nobel laureate. Peace, Juan Manuel Santos.