Ongoing ELN and FARC-Dissident Fighting in Catatumbo

Clashes between the ELN and FARC-dissident factions for control of the Catatumbo region, on the Venezuela border in Norte de Santander, broke out in January 2025 and have continued since. Reports put the death toll at more than 100, with tens of thousands of people displaced (over 80,000 by late 2025). The government declared a state of internal commotion (estado de conmocion interior) in January 2025; that formal emergency was lifted in April 2025, but heavy military operations, movement restrictions, and violence continue across the region.

The US State Department advises Do Not Travel for Norte de Santander, and the UK FCDO advises against travel to the Catatumbo region and within 5km of the Venezuela border (excluding the city of Cucuta). If you live in or near the region, follow local authority guidance and avoid rural travel.

Source: UK FCDO Travel Advice