The Minister of Defense, retired General Pedro Sánchez, confirmed that the armed strike by the ELN already leaves 51 terrorist actions registered in different regions of the country, in the midst of a violent escalation that, according to the authorities, would continue until Wednesday, December 17.

According to the head of the Defense portfolio, the episodes have occurred in Santander, Norte de Santander, La Guajira, Sucre, Chocó, as well as in strategic corridors in the east and west of the country, generating fear in communities and travelers in the middle of the holiday season.

“The ELN does not discriminate against anyone. This is not a political message, it is a direct attack on the Colombian people”said Sánchez.

The minister explained that 38 of the 51 events correspond to what he called media terrorism, actions such as the installation of flags, graffiti and the marking of vehicles, whose objective is to amplify fear through social networks and generate a feeling of territorial control.

However, he warned that at least three attacks have been violent in nature, with real consequences for the population.

Among the most serious events is the murder of an ambulance driver in Puerto Santander, the attack with a motorbike at the La Lizama tollbooth, in Barrancabermeja, which left a worker injured, and an armed action in the Cuatro Vientos sector, in Maicao.

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Faced with the armed strike of the ELN, the Ministry of Defense announced rewards of up to $200 million pesos for information that allows preventing attacks, and up to $500 million pesos for data that leads to the capture of alias ‘El Negro Mina’, one of the leaders of the armed group.

Likewise, the Christmas security plan was reinforced, with the deployment of the Army, Police, Navy and Aerospace Force, especially in areas such as Catatumbo, Cauca and Chocó.

Sánchez rejected the ELN’s arguments, which justify the armed strike as a protest against decisions of the United States Government. For the minister, this is a baseless excuse.

“It is terrorist cynicism. They do not attack governments, they attack Colombians”he stated, reiterating that military operations continue without restriction.

Finally, the country remains on high alert, while the authorities insist on citizen complaints and permanent monitoring to counteract the violent offensive of the illegal group.

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