This week, InSight Crime explored how the National Liberation Army dashed hopes for a peace deal with the Colombian government after a deadly attack.


** Weekly InSight
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September 19, 2024

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This week, InSight Crime explored how the National Liberation Army (Ejército de Liberación Nacional – ELN) dashed hopes for a peace deal with the Colombian government after a deadly attack ([link removed]) in Arauca, near the Venezuelan border, left two soldiers dead and nearly 30 injured. Negotiations had already been in crisis for months, and violence has escalated as the ELN has strengthened following the expiration of the ceasefire.

In other news from Colombia, we examined the wave of attacks in Cauca ([link removed]) , where violence is now spreading to the department’s Pacific coast. We also took a closer look at U.S. Treasury sanctions on a network of companies involved in fuel theftt ([link removed]) in Mexico, pointing to a growing illegal business. Additionally, we looked at how the Honduran government ([link removed]) is missing key reform opportunities to curb crime after a video surfaced showing the president’s brother-in-law negotiating with drug traffickers. Lastly, we highlighted the increasing use of narco-submarines ([link removed]) as a tactic in the drug trade.


** Featured
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** ELN Attack Destroys Chances for Peace With Strengthening Colombian Guerrilla Group ([link removed])
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Colombia’s government has ended peace talks with the country’s largest remaining guerrilla group after a deadly attack on a military base, effectively extinguishing the prospects for a deal with the group and leaving it stronger than when the negotiations started.

President Gustavo Petro announced the suspension of peace talks with the National Liberation Army (Ejército de Liberación Nacional – ELN) following an explosive attack by the group on a military base in Arauquita, Arauca, close to the border with Venezuela. The assault left two soldiers dead and more than two dozen injured, according to the Colombian Ministry of Defense.

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** News Analysis
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** Cauca’s Pacific Coast Sees Surge in Violence as Conflict Spreads ([link removed])
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A new wave of violence in southwestern Colombia signals a worrying spread of conflict into previously calm territories. ([link removed])
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** CJNG’s Fuel Theft Empire in the Crosshairs of US Treasury Sanctions ([link removed])
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The US Department of the Treasury has sanctioned 26 Mexican companies involved in fuel theft, signaling the growing importance … ([link removed])
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** Honduras Misses Reform Opportunities Amid Drug Scandal Turmoil ([link removed])
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Two weeks after InSight Crime released a video that showed the Honduran president’s brother-in-law negotiating with drug traffickers ([link removed]) …
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** Narco-Subs Sail the Caribbean ([link removed])
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The Caribbean, historically a key region for drug trafficking, has once again become the center of attention with the seizure of a narco submarine, signaling the use of … ([link removed])


** Impact
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This week, Jeremy McDermott, co-founder and co-director of InSight Crime, appeared in a YouTube interview discussing the possible presence of Tren de Aragua cells in the United States. This comes just days after former President Donald Donald Trump claimed that the gang is taking control of areas in Aurora, Colorado, and Texas officially designated it as a "terrorist organization."

The Tren de Aragua is Venezuela's most powerful criminal group and the only one to successfully expand abroad. What started as a prison gang in Aragua, Venezuela, has grown into a transnational threat with a vast criminal portfolio.

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See our coverage on Tren de Aragua > ([link removed])


** This Week's Criminal Profile: National Liberation Army (ELN)
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The ELN is Colombia’s last remaining insurgency and one of Latin America's most powerful criminal organizations. Over recent years, the group has expanded and strengthened its presence in Venezuela, transforming into a binational guerrilla force.

For the past two years, the ELN has been engaged in peace negotiations with the government of President Gustavo Petro. However, after months of stagnation—sparked by the government’s decision to negotiate with a dissident ELN faction in Nariño—the talks appear to have collapsed. The final blow came after an attack on an army battalion in Arauca, which prompted Petro to suspend the negotiations.
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Read our ELN profile > ([link removed])
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** Multimedia
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A surge of attacks along the Pacific coast of Cauca, in southwestern Colombia, highlights the spread of escalating violence into new areas.

Cauca recorded the highest number of violent incidents among Colombian departments between September 2023 and September 2024. A total of 466 incidents were reported, including attacks on civilians, the use of explosive devices, and armed clashes, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

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** Media Mentions
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September 13

Westword ([link removed])
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"InSight Crime has been covering TdA since it formed about a decade ago. Mike LaSusa, who considers himself "an expert in organized crime," has written about the gang, from its origin to TdA's current activity."

See our Tren de Aragua coverage > ([link removed])


** Trending Topic: The End of Total Peace in Colombia?
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Colombian President Gustavo Petro declared that peace talks with the ELN have "practically" failed after the group bombed a military base in Arauca, resulting in two deaths and 27 injuries. This attack may mark the final blow to Petro's "Total Peace" policy, which has suffered numerous setbacks in recent months. Learn more by exploring our special series on Total Peace.
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** Colombia Peace
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See our coverage on peace in Colombia > ([link removed])
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** Two Years On, Colombia’s ‘Total Peace’ Brings More Conflict ([link removed])
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