Cúcuta, Colombia – The US has officially nominated eight Latin American drug cartel as foreign terrorist organizations. Especially absentee from the list, however, is the FARC of Colombia, a group that has transformed the country into a war zone.
A nation in crisis
Most Americans do not know anything about the struggle here in Colombia. Bomb blasts, firing and guerrilla group clashes have converted Colombia into a battlefield. Violence has made thousands of homeless.
The father of politician Juan Gallon was murdered to the office in the 1980s. Now he has entered politics, calling Cartel for a tough stance.
“Current Chairman Gustavo Petro, established a policy, called ‘total peace’. New Liberalism Party director Galain said,” It is trying to create a peace agreement with each criminal organization in Colombia, which is mainly supported by narco traffic and cocaine traffic, but illegal mining, gold, illegal mining.
“All these capabilities from the police and the army have been reduced to face this challenge of these criminal organizations, who have greatly benefited in expanding their power on the illegal business of Cocaine, especially clan del golfo,” Galaan said.
Columbia’s drug cartel and guerrilla group control cocaine trade, which fuel the US drug market. However, after the Trump administration cut military aid, the country is struggling to compete with them.
For years, the US provided Black Hawk Helicopters to Colombia’s security forces to help fight drug smuggling. Now, most of the US assistance sits idle due to a freeze, which leaves police and military units without significant air support.
The Mayor of Cúcuta Jorge Acevedo told us, “So, a major war has erupted, which is displaced in the city of Kukuta. The fight is still going on, and the national army is trying to regain control of the area, but so far, without success.”
Venezuela’s influence in Drug Trade of Columbia
In the United States, one -third of all overdose deaths comes from cocaine, not the vast majority of Fentanell, and Cocaine come from here in Colombia. Most of these are controlled by two guerrilla organizations – FARC and ELN. Those two groups are being given the facility of cross -border in Kukuta by the Venezuela government.
“These are leftist groups, and the government of Venezuela is also leftist, as the administration of President Gustavo Petro,” Esavedo explained. “Whom they are directly connected with, I cannot say certainly. But both groups cross the boundary of Venezuela independently.”
Thousands have been displaced in the fight. Many people have sought shelter in temporary camps, relying on support groups to survive.
“We had to leave due to the fight between FARC and ELN,” said Juan, a resident of Catatumbo. “Bombs, gun pills, destruction everywhere. People with guns control everything, and the ground we work on has to run to survive.”
The destruction is clear in places like a police station in Kukuta, which was leveled by a car bomb a few days ago.
The pile of debris is all left from a police station. Luckily, it was late at night, so no one was inside. But this is the kind of violence that is forcing people to run away from their homes.
America and FARC terror situation
Despite the Cartel Crackdown of the Trump administration, many people in Colombia questions why the Biden administration removed FARC from the list of terror in 2021, especially when it dominates the drug trade.
“We need cooperation with the police and the army, especially in helicopters, which is a military equipment, which the army needs to project to be present, as we have a complex area with three mountain systems that divide the country and make the state’s presence very difficult. So we need to cooperate and we need cooperation.”
Faith between crisis
As the Colombia struggles to incorporate violence, local leaders say they are left to deal with human decline. With limited resources and deteriorating security situation, many people are relying on trust to guide them through crisis.
“I think the most important thing is that all this has the guidance of God,” said Mayor Eswedo. “Every morning, we put our work in the hands of God, and I am confident that that’s why we have removed it.”
What will happen next?
While Columbia faces its worst security crisis in the years, drug cartel’s American designation as terrorist organizations is an important step, but many people believe that more action is required. As long as these groups are completely crushed, the crisis – and the flow of drugs will continue to spread.
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