Weekly InSight

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 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, 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 in Mexico, pointing to a growing illegal business. Additionally, we looked at how the Honduran government 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 as a tactic in the drug trade.

Featured

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.


Read the article >

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.


Watch the full video >

See our coverage on Tren de Aragua >

This Week's Criminal Profile: National Liberation Army (ELN)

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.

Trending Topic: The End of Total Peace in Colombia?

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.

Support our work


We go into the field to interview, report and investigate. We then verify, write and edit, providing the tools to generate real impact in fighting organized crime.