Bogota, Colombia – Human rights activists, analysts and social leaders in Colombia have expressed concerns about the humanitarian situation in conflict-affected areas ahead of Sunday’s presidential election.
Although the National Liberation Army (ELN) and some rebel groups from the now-defunct FARC have declared a temporary ceasefire during the election, human rights groups say concerns about violence, movement restrictions and intimidation in remote areas remain high.
Lina Mejía, coordinator of the humanitarian group Vivamos Humanos, said there were still significant risks surrounding the situation during and after the vote.
“It is not only a question of whether armed groups will respect the elections themselves, but whether there will be restrictions on movement, whether election materials will be protected from post-voting attacks and whether communities will be free from threats,” she said. Latin America Report.
Humanitarian groups say that while armed groups often refrain from directly attacking polling stations, the election could still be affected by the broader security environment in areas where armed actors exercise territorial control and an illicit economy linked to coca production, illegal mining and extortion.
According to the Ministry of Elections (MOE), 31 departments and 386 municipalities were identified as having some degree of electoral risk related to violence and the presence of armed groups.
The group said the number of municipalities at risk had increased compared to previous assessments and called for stronger protection during the election period, especially in areas such as Catatumbo and the southwestern region, including Cauca, Meta and Guaviare.
At least 50 fighters were reportedly killed during three hours of fighting between rival FARC dissident factions in Guaviare this week. Forces led by Iván Mordisco reportedly attacked a camp belonging to the rival Calarcá group.
Both forces rejected a 2016 peace deal that led to the demobilization of thousands of former FARC guerrilla movement members.
The security situation in the Catatumbo region, located on the Venezuelan border, has been destabilized over the past few months due to clashes between the ELN and FARC dissident faction Frente 33.
Just this month, Freiman Velásquez, a social leader and member of the Catatumbo Peasant Association (Asuncat), was assassinated in Tibu. He was killed along with his sister and two bodyguards. The attack was attributed to the ELN.
Despite the violence, Carmen Garcia, a social leader in Catatumbo, said elections can sometimes bring brief moments of calm.
“There is one positive thing about this region: when it comes to voting, armed actors usually respect the process,” she said.
In Catatumbo, the ELN announced a ceasefire from Saturday afternoon until after the elections.
But Garcia, who runs an organization that rescues young people recruited by armed groups, said recent killings and security breaches in the area mean many residents no longer trust that arrangement.
“Before, the ELN’s words meant something. The FARC’s words meant something. If they said there would be no attacks, we knew there would be no attacks,” she said. Latin America Report. “But now people don’t really believe in the ceasefire anymore.”
Human rights groups say the violence is part of a worsening humanitarian situation in Colombia.
According to Vivamos Humanos, more than 350 violent incidents were recorded in the first five months of 2026.
These include killings, restrictions on movement, and the presence of anti-personnel mines and improvised explosive devices.
“Among the main impacts are restrictions on movement and movement, killings, the presence of anti-personnel mines, unexploded ordnance and improvised explosive devices,” Mejía said.
Concerns are also growing in Colombia’s southern Caqueta state. On May 12, an audio message circulated on social media from the FARC dissident group announcing an armed attack on the Caqueta and Caguan river basins, restricting river and road movement.
“We campesinos are in an extremely difficult situation. We are so tense,” said Caquetá, a resident of Cartagena del Chairá. Latin America Report. He and other residents feared the strike could affect their ability to vote due to travel restrictions.
Residents said the community was forced to carry identification cards issued by an armed group and was threatened if they did not do so.
The strike ended just days after it was announced, but Colombia’s ombudsman’s office, Defensoría del Pueblo, warned that the situation reflected a pattern of continued threats and territorial control by armed groups.
“This threat is not a new situation: since December 2025, communities in Putumayo, Caquetá and Amazonas have faced armed strikes and severe restrictions on movement,” the group said in a statement issued on May 15.
Defensoria also called for “urgent action” to ensure the transportation of election materials and the establishment of rural polling stations in remote areas “to ensure free and peaceful elections on May 31.”
Featured image caption: Graffiti by FARC dissidents and ELN in the city of Cucuta.
Featured image credit: Lucas Molet.
