Peace talks between Front 33 and the Colombian government accelerate following the intensification of conflict with the ELN. Photo: Brasil de Fato.
Guacamaya, May 4, 2025. Delegates from the Colombian government and the faction known as Front 33 of the FARC met in Cúcuta, Norte de Santander, to accelerate the disarmament of the armed group.
President Gustavo Petro shared a statement on his social media outlining a “peace zone,” where Front 33 combatants and weapons would gather to surrender to Colombia’s armed and security forces.
The statement from the Peace Dialogue Table comes after an escalation of clashes between guerrilla groups in the Colombia-Venezuela border region, where the National Liberation Army (ELN) has consolidated its control over Catatumbo.
According to Colombia’s Ombudsman’s Office, by late April, the fighting had displaced 64,397 people and caused at least 104 deaths.
Various reports and local media indicate that the ELN’s offensive was meticulously planned to strike Front 33 by surprise. However, reinforcements reportedly arrived from other regions, and clashes continue to this day.
One of the reasons for the conflict—despite past collaboration between the two groups—is that Front 33 sought dialogue with the government, while the ELN has preferred to expand and solidify its position.
An official report states that 129 members of Front 33 surrendered to authorities to save their lives and that the Colombian National Army even evacuated leaders of this guerrilla group to place them under protection as part of the peace talks.
