The Ombudsman’s Office warned about massive displacements and serious effects on the civilian population in Catatumbo.
The Ombudsman, Iris Marinleads a Humanitarian Commission in the towns of Versalles and Pacelliin a rural area of the municipality of Tibú (Norte de Santander).
The official warned about the serious humanitarian crisis that occurs in Catatumbo and that has generated the forced displacement of hundreds of inhabitants.
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Accompaniment of the Ombudsman’s Office in Catatumbo
This organization verifies the situation of the community that has been left in the middle of the clashes and seeks to facilitate access and delivery of humanitarian aid to those affected by the Government of Norte de Santander, the Mayor’s Office of Tibú, the Victims Unit and the ICBF.
“During the humanitarian visit to the Catatumbo region, in the district of Filogringo, in El Tarra, the serious effects on the civilian population were confirmed, as well as the destruction and damage to civilian property, due to the armed confrontation between the ELN and the dissident 33rd Front of the FARC. The Humanitarian Commission of Catatumbo verified that this township, to a large extent, is uninhabited as a result of the fightingwhich caused massive displacement,” said the Ombudsman’s Office.
The commission also reached the urban capital of the municipality of The Tarrawhere visits were made to several of the hostels that were installed in the area and to which dozens of displaced families have arrived.
“We call on the State to adopt measures to protect and care for the communities to guarantee their rights and armed groups to respect International Humanitarian Law“said the Ombudsman, Iris Marín.
For his part, the Bishop of the municipality of Tibú, Monsignor Israel Bravostated that the situation that is evident in areas such as Filogringo, Versalles and Pachelli is regrettable, where the clashes continue and have generated the displacement of at least 1,300 people in the last fifteen days.
The ‘Humanitarian Commission of Catatumbo’ It is made up of the Ombudsman’s Office, the UN Verification Mission and the Diocese of Tibú.
It should be noted that in October 2025 the Ombudsman’s Office issued a Early Warninggiven the risk of human rights violations in that border municipality. The danger is concentrated in its rural areas and in the corridors that connect them with the urban area.
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According to authorities, some 1,300 members of the armed group would be in Venezuelaincluding its commander Eliécer Chamorro, alias ‘Antonio Garcia’. Its presence in the limits facilitates raids such as the one in January 2025 in Catatumbo, which throughout the year left more than 78,000 forced displacements.
