Medellin, Colombia – The Venezuelan government issued a declaration Wednesday expressing regret over recent violence in Colombia’s Catatumbo region, just days after Bogota said it had coordinated with Caracas to carry out the bombings.
The statement raises questions about whether Venezuela has carried out a military operation against National Liberation Army (ELN) rebels who are said to have killed seven guerrilla fighters near the border between the two countries.
“The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela expresses deep concern and regrets the escalation of violence in the Catatumbo border area.” Foreign Minister Ivan Gil read a statement shared with X.
The declaration came after Colombian President Gustavo Petro said Monday that he had ordered the bombing in cooperation with Venezuela.
Petro wrote to
After visiting Venezuela in April, Petro appeared to hint that he had agreed to work with Caracas to tackle cross-border crime.
But Caracas appeared untouched by the recent bombing campaign. Although it did not directly acknowledge the bombing or Petro’s statement, it declared that it “rejects any armed action that endangers the peace, stability and security of border communities.”
The report added that the only way to preserve peace and stability in the region is “through mechanisms of understanding and mutual respect to avoid actions that could exacerbate tensions or pose greater risks to border populations who have been facing the consequences of decades of uncontrollable conflict.”
Since last year, Catatumbo has been the scene of what has been described as Colombia’s “most serious humanitarian crisis in recent times.” In January 2025, three family members died, including a 9-month-old baby. It marked the collapse of a fragile peace deal between the ELN and the FARC rebel faction, the Frente 33, sparking a humanitarian crisis on a scale not seen in the country for a decade.
The Red Cross says 2025 will be one of the most complex years for the humanitarian situation in Colombia. More than 235,000 people have been individually displaced, more than 176,000 people are unable to move freely due to armed conflict, and cases of mass displacement have also increased sharply.
Venezuela’s statement highlights the transboundary nature of the conflict, noting that it has “historically suffered as a result of internal conflict in Colombia.” Colombian armed groups such as the ELN and FARC dissidents have traditionally had significant influence in Venezuela and are known to have links to the Nicolas Maduro regime.
But Petro and the provisional government led by Delcy Rodríguez have been under pressure from the White House to take action against the guerrilla group.
This article originally appeared in The Bogotá Post and is republished with permission.
Featured image caption: Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Venezuelan Interim President Delcy Rodriguez attend a meeting in Caracas on April 24, 2026.
Image courtesy of the Office of the President of Colombia.
