EXCLUSIVE: We spoke to Colombia’s largest remaining Marxist guerrilla group the ELN (National Liberation Army) about their position on the Colombian presidential elections, the recent ELN ‘Armed Strike,’ and the overall political situation in Colombia.

The National Liberation Army, known as the ELN, has been active for more than 50 years. Amid Colombia’s pre-election period, the ELN made international headlines when it launched its ‘Armed Strike’ campaign, demonstrating that the guerrilla, not the state, is in control in many towns.

A wave of violence has hit Colombia again as right-wing paramilitaries reacted brutally to the likely victory of former M-19 guerrilla member and frontrunner candidate Gustavo Petro. 29 politically motivated murders during the 2022 election period were reported by the Peace and Reconciliation Foundation.