The caravan, which departed from Bogota on Monday afternoon, is comprised of the Colombia-Europe-United States Coordination, which brings together more than 200 human rights and social organizations.

Since early 2022, reports against violent events perpetrated by irregular groups and the worsening of the war, forcing the forced and massive displacement of communities, forced recruitment of children, threats and assassinations of social leaders, have been increasing.

The risks for the civilian population with the strengthening of the State’s military presence are also added.

In a recent interview, Camilo González, director of the Institute for Peace and Development Studies (INDEPAZ), told Prensa Latina that what is happening in Arauca is a dispute over the territory that seems to be, as a first resort, a confrontation between groups of the National Liberation Army (ELN) with residual dissidents from the peace process.

But the reality is that there is a border problem there, because it is a strip of land where there are not only armed groups, but also it is an area where there are many interests in the trafficking of products, oil and diverse wealth, Gonzalez said.

In view of the serious situation in Arauca and the border with Venezuela, the communities and several organizations in northeastern Colombia are calling for the cessation of hostilities between the armed forces and have also formulated proposals for the transformation of the conflict in the area.

pgh/iff/jha/otf