While global attention is focused on three U.S. warships sailing toward the Caribbean Sea, near Venezuelan waters, another story is unfolding at the border with Colombia. Although the presence of the ships has raised fears of a supposed military invasion, Colombian intelligence reveals that Nicolás Maduro already has his own line of defense: the National Liberation Army (ELN).
This revelation, based on interceptions, infiltrators, and testimonies from defectors, suggests that the ELN is not only an ally of the Venezuelan government but its first line of defense against a hypothetical military intervention by the United States. For this mission, the guerrilla has concentrated its efforts and resources in the Catatumbo region, considered a strategic point for Maduro's shielding.
The ELN has intensified its recruitment operations in the area, attracting new members with promises of significant salaries ranging from 1.5 to 2.5 million Colombian pesos, according to a report from the media outlet Semana. The offer is even more attractive for those with experience in handling weapons, explosives, or with military backgrounds.
The capacity of the ELN to act as a "reserve army" for Venezuela did not emerge from nowhere. According to Semana, in recent months, the group has been strengthening its power at the border with Colombia, mainly through territorial control, drug trafficking routes, and technological training.
