Fri Jan 24 21:43:44 IST 2025: ## Colombia Grants President Emergency Powers Amid Catatumbo Violence

**BOGOTA, Colombia** – President Gustavo Petro has declared a state of emergency in Colombia’s Catatumbo region, granting himself sweeping powers for up to 270 days to quell escalating violence between armed groups. The decree, issued Friday, allows for curfews, traffic restrictions, and other measures that would typically require congressional approval.

The decision follows a surge in violence since mid-January, pitting the National Liberation Army (ELN) rebels against dissident factions of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Rights groups estimate that over 32,000 people have been displaced, and at least 80 killed, as armed groups conduct indiscriminate attacks and go door-to-door in the region. The violence has forced many to flee to neighboring Venezuela or the Norte de Santander region of Colombia.

The escalating conflict prompted the government to suspend peace talks with the ELN last week, despite President Petro’s pledge to achieve “total peace” in Colombia. While the government has deployed thousands of soldiers and reissued arrest warrants for ELN leaders, the situation remains critical. The ELN denies targeting civilians, blaming a former FARC faction.

International concern is mounting. Amnesty International urged the Colombian government to protect civilians, citing growing threats of confinement, killings, and disappearances. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also called for an immediate end to violence and unimpeded humanitarian access.

Aid organizations report that displaced families, many with young children, are arriving in overcrowded shelters in Norte de Santander, raising concerns about disease outbreaks and strain on local health resources. One displaced resident, Zilenia Pana, described the horrors of witnessing dead bodies and pleaded for an end to the fighting so she can return home with her children. The crisis underscores the fragile peace process in Colombia and the devastating impact on civilians caught in the crossfire.

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