Reports of an increase in guerrilla movements on both sides of the border have surfaced since the Jan. 3 attacks. (AFP/Getty Images)However, the ELN has long anticipated a U.S. attack in Venezuela, said Mantilla. In September, Pablo Beltrán, one of the ELN’s chief negotiators, suggested in an interview that the U.S. would attack Venezuela over its resources. The ELN has a long history with the Venezuelan regime dating back to the presidency of Hugo Chávez , who was elected in 1998, said Arias. The ELN’s leadership moved to Venezuela in 2002 and the group shares the same political ideology as the regime in Venezuela, said Arias.

Source: CBC News January 11, 2026 10:31 UTC