More than 300 people have sought refuge in Cúcuta, a city near Colombia’s border with Venezuela, after fleeing fighting by rebel groups in the volatile Catatumbo region. The city was already bracing for a potential influx of displaced individuals.
Colombia’s Human Rights Ombudswoman, Iris Marín, confirmed the displacement on X on Monday night, stating the individuals originated from Tibu and El Tarra, where clashes erupted in December.
The government had deployed tanks and troops to Cúcuta on Saturday, following a U.S. raid in neighboring Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.
The Catatumbo region, a significant coca-producing area, has long been a battleground for drug traffickers and various rebel groups vying for control.
“Once again we call on rebel groups to cease combat and leave the civilian population out of the conflict,” Marín wrote.
Last year, more than 56,000 people were displaced from Catatumbo, a large region that straddles the border with Venezuela, and at least 80 were killed, as the National Liberation Army waged an offensive against a rival group known as the FARC-EMC.
The humanitarian crisis prompted Colombia’s government to suspend peace talks with the National Liberation Army that began in 2022.
Colombian officials have said the country is preparing for a potential wave of Venezuelan refugees, though that has not materialized so far, as the situation in Venezuela appears to have stabilized, with Maduro’s Vice President Delcy Rodríguez now sworn in as interim leader.
On Tuesday, Gloria Arriero, the director of Colombia’s National Immigration Service, said that foot traffic along the border has not changed significantly since the attack on Venezuela, with approximately 60,000 people entering Cúcuta and leaving the city each day.
“We feel calm, because the flows of people have not augmented,” Arriero said at a news conference.
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