Colombia launched an operation called 'Esparta' against armed organizations

De la Espriella, who attended the extraordinary security meeting held in the city of Cucuta in the Northern Santander administrative region, announced that new decisions were taken in order to prevent the activities of armed organizations on the Venezuelan border and to re-establish state authority in the region.

De la Espriella, who gave full support to the security forces, said: "Today, the Esparta military and police operation begins here in Cucuta. You are responsible for taking the initiative again, identifying and capturing or neutralizing the ringleaders of narcoterrorist groups. I have instructed to increase surveillance and create control barriers at strategic points of the border. Otherwise, all these military and police efforts will be in vain."

DISINFACTORY INSTRUCTIONS

Emphasizing that the security struggle will not be limited to military methods only, De la Espriella added that steps will be taken in the fields of social services, justice and employment in order to strengthen the permanent presence of state institutions in the Catatumbo region. Within the scope of the operation called "Esparta", it is planned to target the sources of income obtained from crimes such as drug trafficking, extortion and kidnapping, to collapse the financial networks of the organizations and to increase the military presence in the region. President De la Espriella ordered the leaders of illegal armed structures, especially members of the armed rebel organization National Liberation Army (ELN) and the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), to be identified and captured or neutralized.

In the news published in the national press, it was reported that international intelligence and judicial cooperation should be increased within the scope of measures aimed at preventing drug smuggling, human trafficking and cross-border mobility of armed organizations. On August 28, the government of President Abelardo de la Espriella officially terminated the peace talks with 3 illegal armed groups, including the General Staff of Blocs and Fronts (EMBF) and the National Liberation Army (ELN), on the grounds that they "did not display sufficient will for peace".