Petro urges Colombians to celebrate Christmas season despite ELN rebels’ forced strike

Colombian President Urges Calm as Rebel Group Declares Armed Strike

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has called on citizens to celebrate the Christmas season without fear, despite a threatening armed strike declared by the National Liberation Army (ELN), one of Colombia’s most active rebel organizations.

The ELN announced a forced confinement measure beginning Sunday that will run until Wednesday morning. The rebel group’s directive requires civilians to remain in their homes and restricts commercial activity and transportation in several major cities, including the capital Bogota, as well as Medellin, Cali, Popayan, and Barrancabermeja.

“I ask the people of Colombia, in all parts of the national territory, to go out and celebrate the Christmas season without fear,” Petro said via social media platform X. “Fear paralyzes us, and we will not allow ourselves to be threatened either by foreign powers or by drug traffickers dressed up as revolutionaries.”

The president has ordered Colombian security forces to take action against the rebel group. “These are not threats against Trump, they are threats against Colombia,” Petro stated firmly.

Armed strikes like the one declared by the ELN typically involve forced school closures and carry grave consequences for civilians who disobey the rebels’ orders, including threats of execution. The group has specifically warned residents to avoid police and military facilities and has called for public transportation companies and businesses to suspend their activities.

The ELN justified the strike by citing what they described as a “counterinsurgency plan” against them and what they termed “imperialist aggression,” apparently referring to recent actions by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration in the region.

The timing coincides with escalating U.S. military activity in nearby waters. Since early September, the U.S. military has conducted operations that have killed more than 80 people on vessels the Trump administration claims were transporting drugs toward American shores. These strikes initially focused on Venezuela’s Caribbean coast before expanding to the eastern Pacific Ocean.

In early December, Trump suggested the operations could extend to include targets in countries such as Colombia, raising alarm throughout the region. The United States has also substantially increased its military presence in Latin America and the Caribbean, assembling what observers describe as the largest American military force in the region in generations.

Many regional analysts interpret this buildup as part of a broader strategy to pressure Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to step down. The situation has created a complex diplomatic environment for Colombia, which has historically been one of Washington’s closest allies in South America.

Petro, Colombia’s first leftist president, has been critical of the U.S. maritime operations, describing them as “murders” and questioning the proportionality of force used. His position illustrates the delicate balance he must maintain between Colombia’s traditional alliance with the United States and his own political principles.

The current tension comes after Petro canceled peace talks with the ELN in January following deadly attacks in the northeastern Catatumbo region, where approximately 80 people were killed. The Colombian government has struggled for decades to reach lasting peace agreements with various rebel groups, including the ELN, which continues to operate in several parts of the country.

As Colombia enters the holiday season, the government faces the dual challenge of protecting citizens from rebel threats while navigating increasing regional tensions fueled by U.S. military operations. The situation underscores the persistent security challenges facing Colombia despite years of peace efforts with various armed groups.