By Carolina Calero, CAMBIOColombia, December 13, 2024
(Translated by Eunice Gibson, CSN Volunteer Translator)
According to the most recent report of Countries with Terrorism in 2023, the United States State Department warned that both those illegal groups continue to be among the dangers that are having the most impact in the continent.
The U. S. State Department highlighted the National Liberation Army (ELN), the Segunda Marquetalia led by “Iván Marquez”, and the “Iván Mordisco” dissidents as the “greatest terrorist threats in the region” in its report on Countries with Terrorism in 2023.
The document details how these illegal armed groups are carrying out terrorist activities not only in Colombia but also in Venezuela. Included in their actions are “attacks, kidnappings, violence against civilians, attacks on military installations, as well as attacks against public infrastructure and against ex-combatants demobilized from the FARC-EP.
Besides that, the report points out that Venezuela “continues to provide safe refuge” to these organizations, consolidating their presence in departments like Amazonas, Apure, Bolívar, and Zulia. This augments their operating capacity in the Colombia-Venezuela border region. The report also mentions the activity of Shining Path in Perú as another relevant threat in the region.
Regarding the ELN, the report underscores that as of December 2023, it maintained a significant presence in Venezuelan departments like Táchira, Barinas, and Guárico. Meanwhile, the FARC dissidents have strengthened their control in strategic areas, exacerbating their impact on their cross-border operations.
“The corruption, the weak governmental institutions, the insufficient inter-agency cooperation, the deficient or non-existent legislation, and limited funding, continue to be obstacles to the improvement of security in 2023”, reads the report.
Other terrorist groups identified by the United States
The Joe Biden administration has reported that the Lebanese Islamist group Hezbollah, supported by Irán, continued to operate in Latin America in 2023, focused on raising funds for their activities.
In the same manner, the document accused Cuba, North Korea, Iran, and Syria of being the countries that have “furnished constant support to international terrorist acts”. The inclusion of Cuba in this list, made in January 2021, was one of the last decisions by ex-President Donald Trump before the end of his term.