National Liberation Army (ELN)

The National Liberation Army, known as ELN, remains Colombia's most formidable insurgent group and one of the most powerful criminal organizations in Latin America. Over the past decade, the ELN's influence has expanded into Venezuela, forming a binational structure. Originally a Marxist-Leninist group inspired by the Cuban Revolution, the ELN initially focused on extortion, kidnappings, and oil infrastructure attacks.

However, in recent years, it has increasingly engaged in drug trafficking, illegal mining, and other criminal activities, which has led to its criminalization and diminished its political activities. Operating as a rebel group within Colombia and a paramilitary force backed by the Venezuelan government, the ELN has undergone significant transformations since its formation in the 1960s.

After suffering military setbacks in the 1970s, the ELN retreated to the Venezuelan border and began negotiating peace with the Colombian government. Despite several attempts, peace negotiations have consistently failed due to disagreements and the deterioration of Colombia's relationship with Venezuela. In the 1990s, the ELN expanded its criminal activities, including drug trafficking and illegal mining, partly due to external pressure from Colombian security forces and rival armed groups.

In 2014, it resumed peace talks with the Colombian government, but these negotiations were abruptly halted in 2019 when the ELN attacked a police academy in Bogotá. In the years since, the ELN has continued to consolidate its power across both Colombia and Venezuela, taking advantage of the permissive policies of Venezuela's political leadership.