Venezuelan Military Strikes ELN Hub With U.S. Intelligence Support

The Venezuelan military launched a deadly drone strike on Friday against a National Liberation Army (ELN) cocaine distribution hub in the Apure region near the Colombian border. Assisted by United States intelligence and drones, the operation resulted in at least 23 deaths and numerous injuries. The human rights organization Fundaredes reported that the casualties included non-combatants, including goods suppliers and relatives of pilots.

This operation follows the removal of former President Nicolás Maduro and aligns with a militarized strategy by the Trump administration to combat narcoterrorism in Latin America. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the ELN could no longer operate with impunity in Venezuela. The U.S. Department of Defense referred inquiries regarding the strike to the Venezuelan government.

The strike occurred alongside a separate offensive in Colombia led by President Abelardo De La Espriella, who ordered bombings against ELN targets and vowed to crush armed groups. In the border city of Cúcuta, Colombian forces distributed fliers offering rewards for ELN commanders. Security analysts suggest these simultaneous actions represent a coordinated effort to squeeze the Marxist guerrilla group on both sides of the border.