Colombian civilians caught in crossfire as rebel factions fill violent vacuum
Guilfredo Villegas was driving through the Colombian town of San Pablo when a group of men opened fire on his car. He was killed instantly.
He had defied local armed factions who since 15 April have ordered residents of the Catatumbo region near the Venezuelan border to remain indoors.
“If only the government would listen to the pain of the mothers of Catatumbo,” said his mother, Gladis Villegas. “They have abandoned us and we are forced to live with this violence.”
More than a month of clashes between rival guerrilla factions has forced more than 6,000 people in the region to flee their homes. The government says eight people have died in the fighting, but human rights groups say the true figure is around 30.
Much of this region used to be dominated by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), which laid down its arms in 2016 and has now become a political party.
That peace deal was supposed to put an end to more than half a century of war, but in much of rural Colombia, the demobilisation has merely opened the way for other armed groups.
In many remote regions, the government has been unable to impose its authority or create jobs – especially places where the local economy depends on the cultivation of coca, the raw ingredient for cocaine.
In the south of the country, a drug-trafficking faction made up of former Farc rebels is blamed for the kidnapping of five people, including three journalists who were later murdered.
To the north, Catatumbo – which has one of Colombia’s highest coca yields – has become a battleground for two other groups: the National Liberation Army, ELN –now the biggest rebel faction, and a dissident faction of the Popular Liberation Army, or EPL – a Maoist group which officially laid down its arms in 1991.
Colombian authorities say the EPL – also known as Los Pelusos – is nothing more than a criminal gang which is involved in drug trafficking.
Two weeks ago, Los Pelusos declared an “armed strike” blocking roads, and forcing the closure of thousands of businesses. Residents say they have become hostages in their own homes. The lockdown, which brought the region to a standstill, was due to end on Monday.
In San Pablo, the streets are eerily quiet. Buildings are daubed with graffiti from both factions. Support for the guerrillas has traditionally been strong here, but now locals feel they have become targets as the rebels shift their focus from social change to criminal gain.
Patty, who asked not to give her surname, said she was worried that her family would soon run out of food: “We are caught in the crossfire and we’re terrified. They’re forcing us to take sides. But if we choose one, it will almost certainly be a death sentence from the other.”
Down the road, in the town of El Tarra, a group of locals gathered in the midday heat to call for peace. “The guerrillas should be fighting for the people, not against us. With Farc, we knew where we stood. They had their laws and they’d sort out any problems we had. Since they’ve gone, it’s just got worse,” said one woman.
Hovering above the protest is a Colombian army helicopter. “This is as close as the government gets,” said Álvaro, 22, pointing upwards.
In the city of Ocaña, almost 300 people displaced by the violence are sleeping in a sports hall. The din of crying toddlers echoes off the concrete walls as dozens of people queue for limited shower facilities.
Lorena and her two children fled their village along with 70 other families. “One night we were caught in a shoot-out. My neighbour was killed and his wife and children were injured. That’s when we all decided to leave. The conditions here are terrible, but everyone’s doing what they can to help.”
The government has promised to establish order, and set up programmes to help farmers stop growing coca. But local critics say it has moved too slowly.Senator Alberto Castilla said: “We are calling on the guerrillas to halt their violence permanently – and we are calling on the national government to recognise that peace is more than a ceasefire or demobilisation. It is education, healthcare and employment.”