A startling call for unity is echoing through the jungles of Latin America. Facing a perceived threat from the United States, some of the region’s most hardened guerrilla factions are being urged to lay down decades of bitter rivalry and forge a common front.
The impetus for this unprecedented appeal stems from recent events, specifically the detention of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. This action has ignited fears of a larger, US-backed military intervention across the continent, prompting a desperate reassessment of long-held animosities.
The plea originated from Nestor Gregorio Vera, known as “Ivan Mordisco,” Colombia’s most wanted insurgent leader. In a recently released video, Vera directly addressed rival rebel groups, acknowledging their history of brutal conflict over territory and illicit trade, yet insisting the time for division is over.
“The shadow of the interventionist eagle looms over everyone equally,” Vera declared, appearing in camouflage alongside armed fighters. He urged them to set aside their differences, framing the situation as a matter of shared survival against a common enemy.
Vera’s call specifically targeted the National Liberation Army (ELN), Colombia’s largest and most powerful guerrilla organization. The ELN controls a vast, strategically important stretch of the 1,400-mile border between Colombia and Venezuela, making them a key player in any regional conflict.
The animosity between Vera’s faction and the ELN has been particularly fierce, marked by years of bloody warfare with devastating consequences for local populations. Security analysts are surprised by the overture, given the depth of the existing conflict.
Despite the history of violence, Vera believes a unified insurgent bloc is essential to “push back the enemies of the greater homeland.” He envisions a coalition built on shared ideology and a common purpose: resisting external interference in Latin American affairs.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro, a former guerrilla himself, has responded to the threat of a united front by calling for a concerted effort to dismantle drug-trafficking guerrilla groups. He has also sought cooperation from Venezuela’s new leadership in this endeavor.
However, the possibility of a joint military operation involving the US, Colombia, and Venezuela looms large, raising the specter of a decisive crackdown on the ELN after more than six decades of insurgency. The group’s future hangs in the balance.
Guerrilla groups now operate extensively along Venezuela’s extensive border with Colombia, controlling lucrative illegal mining operations near the Orinoco oil belt. The ELN, designated a U.S. terrorist organization, boasts thousands of fighters and dominates key cocaine-producing regions.
Following Maduro’s detention, the ELN vowed to fight to the “last drop of blood” against what they perceive as US imperialism. Their struggle, according to analysts, has evolved beyond domestic power struggles to encompass the defense of the “Bolivarian Revolution.”
Experts suggest the ELN is currently in a vulnerable position, facing potential military pressure from multiple fronts. Even a successful unification with other groups may not be enough to withstand a determined US intervention, given the power imbalance.
The situation remains fluid and fraught with uncertainty. The call for unity represents a dramatic shift in the dynamics of Latin American insurgency, driven by a shared fear of external intervention and a desperate attempt to preserve a way of life under threat.
