SUMMARY
FARC was formed in Colombia in 1966, in the wake of the period known as “La Violencia” (the Era of Violence). It is most often referred to as FARC rather than the full abbreviation of its name, FARC-EP (Fuerzas armadas revolucionarias colombianas – Ejército del Pueblo, Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army).
FARC has its origins in rural self-defence groups. During La Violencia, when the two dominant political parties in Colombia – Liberals and Conservatives – fought each other, non-state armed groups and self-defence groups were formed around the country. In 1958, the Liberals and Conservatives entered into a power-sharing agreement which excluded all other political actors. The government then launched an offensive against peasant self-defence groups, motivated as a campaign against a communist threat. Against this backdrop, peasant forces regrouped in southern Tolima department in west Colombia and formed FARC with the backing of the Communist Party. The first conference was held in 1965, but FARC was officially launched in 1966, after its second conference discussed military strategy and a political plan. The aim of the organisation was to bring down the regime, as well as to end “U.S. imperialism” and to achieve extensive socio-economic reform.
In the 1980s, FARC launched a political wing, UP (Unión Patriótica, Patriotic Union), but after doing well in the 1986 presidential elections its members were targeted by paramilitary forces and other right-wing elements, and virtually wiped out. Also in the 1980s, it started to broaden its support base to include urban students, intellectuals and workers, although the main support base remained among the rural population. After the fall of the Soviet Union, its ideological foundation became less pronounced, while at the same time it continued to expand its ranks and territorial operating area. Meanwhile, FARC increasingly financed its campaign through involvement in and taxation on the illegal drug trade, as well as kidnapping and extortion. In combination with acts of one-sided violence against civilians, this led to a loss of support among the civilian population.
Based on a Marxist-Leninist ideology, FARC early on gained the support of the Soviet Union, and continued to have strong ties to the Colombian Communist Party until the mid-1980s. Neighbouring Venezuela’s president Hugo Chávez, who served as a mediator between FARC and the government in 2007, has been accused of supporting FARC. In 2001 a video showing Venezuelan military personnel meeting with FARC fighters in Colombia was released, and in 2008 email correspondence was discovered that allegedly implied Venezuelan military and financial support for FARC.
Among the first commanders of FARC, most of whom were of peasant origin, was Manuel Marulanda Vélez (“Tirofijo”), who remained the leader of FARC until his death in 2008, when he was succeeded by Alfonso Cano (a.k.a. Guillermo Saenz Vargas). In 2008, FARC was estimated to have between 10 000 and 15 000 armed soldiers. These were organised into fronts, according to analysts characterised by a relatively strong hierarchy and discipline; the secretariat reportedly had a high degree of control over all fronts, with centralised income and direct communication with commanders via radio.
FARC has been involved in the intra-state, non-state and one-sided categories of UCDP organised violence.
The ELN, (Ejército de Liberación Nacional, the National Liberation Army) is Colombia’s oldest active guerrilla group and the last insurgency with a national political agenda. Since its founding in 1964, it has evolved from a Marxist-Leninist and liberation theology-inspired movement into a decentralized armed organization deeply involved in criminal economies. Over the decades, the ELN has survived military defeats, internal divisions, and territorial disputes with other armed groups. It consolidated a cross-border presence in Venezuela, strengthening its influence and expanding its illicit activities. Despite participating in several peace negotiations over the years, the most substantive process began in 2022 under President Gustavo Petro. However, this process faced severe internal tensions, particularly following the government's separate dialogue with the ELN’s Comuneros del Sur faction in Nariño department. Talks formally broke down in September 2024 after a deadly ELN attack on a military base in Arauca department, leaving the future of the process uncertain.
The ELN was founded in the department of Santander by a group of students, intellectuals, and Catholic priests inspired by the Cuban revolution and Latin American liberation theology. Initially focused on attacking state institutions and oil infrastructure, the ELN financed its operations through kidnappings and extortion. During the 1980s and 1990s, it expanded into the oil-producing regions of Arauca and Casanare, where it systematically extorted multinational companies. Over time, the ELN began taxing coca growers and eventually became directly involved in drug trafficking, illegal mining, and cross-border smuggling, particularly along the Colombia-Venezuela frontier. Its decentralized, federated structure granted autonomy to its regional fronts, making the group difficult to control and presenting challenges for any unified negotiation. As of 2024, the ELN was led by Eliécer Chamorro, alias Antonio García, supported by Israel Ramírez Pineda, alias Pablo Beltrán, the group’s political leader and chief negotiator.
Operating on both sides of the Colombia-Venezuela border, the ELN has expanded its influence in multiple regions across both countries. This expansion brought the group into conflict with the Colombian government, the EGC, and various FARC dissident factions. It clashed with FARC-EMC in Arauca and Apure, while maintaining non-aggression pacts and a tactical alliance with FARC-EMC Calarcá in Norte de Santander and Antioquia to confront the EGC. In Venezuela, the ELN reportedly acted as an informal ally of the government of Nicolás Maduro, benefiting from territorial control and access to illicit economies such as mining, drug trafficking, and contraband.
Several Colombian governments have attempted to negotiate peace with the ELN, with talks taking place intermittently since the 1970s. While all previous processes failed to produce lasting agreements, the negotiations initiated in 2022 under President Gustavo Petro represented the most significant progress to date. These talks included multiple rounds in Venezuela, Mexico, and Cuba and achieved a bilateral ceasefire that lasted from August 2023 to August 2024. However, the process faced growing internal tensions, particularly after the government opened parallel talks with the ELN’s breakaway Comuneros del Sur faction in Nariño. Disagreements over the group’s internal cohesion, the government’s engagement with splinter factions, and continued ELN kidnappings eventually led to the suspension of the ceasefire and the official breakdown of negotiations in September 2024, following a lethal ELN attack on a military base in Arauca.
ELN has been involved in the intrastate, non-state, and one-sided categories of UCDP organized violence.
