World Crisis Chronology
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COLOMBIA

10/25/2026
Government announces successful military operation against the National Liberation Army, including killing two leaders.
10/19/2026
De la Espriella threatens to unilaterally redraw his country’s maritime border with Nicaragua in order to expand Colombia’s territory. A 2012 International Court of Justice ruling affirmed Colombia’s sovereignty over an archipelago off the Nicaraguan coast but stripped it of control over thousands of square miles of adjacent seawaters.
09/23/2026
City of Santa Maria is shut down by illegal armed gang threats and violence against businesses and transportation for a second day despite de la Espriella detailing 1100 security forces to the city. The group, the Conquering Self-Defense Forces of the Sierra Nevada (ACSN), are avenging the murder of their leader during an operation by the armed forces.
09/04/2026
Judge temporarily halts bombing of suspected FARC militants until the presence of children is confirmed or denied after the bodies of three teenagers were discovered at one site.
08/07/2026
US promises $1 billion security aid for Colombia in an agreement that allows US troops to deploy in the country against drug gangs. US President Trump has expressed admiration for de la Espriella.


06/21/2026
De la Espriella elected president
Runoff election between de la Espriella and Cepeda. De la Espriella wins 49.66% of the vote against 48.70% for Cepeda.
06/01/2026
Presidential election. De la Espriella wins about 44% of the vote to Cepeda’s 40%. Petro’s office announces that it will not accept these preliminary results due to problems with voting machines and everyone should wait for a final count.
05/24/2026
Campaign for president ends. Main candidates are Ivan Cepeda, who would continue Petro’s policies, despite the failure of the peace efforts with armed insurgents so far; Abelardo de la Espriella, 47, a businessman and lawyer who has pledged tax cuts, investments in mining and energy and a military crackdown on illegal armed groups and drug trafficking; and Paloma Valencia, 48, who wants to expand the armed forces, cut the size of government and reduce taxes. She ⁠is supported by former President Alvaro Uribe. Though Cepeda leads in polls, he would be at a disadvantage in a runoff, since the other candidates are both to his right. Election will be 5/31 and the runoff would be 6/21.
05/20/2026
President Rodrigo Paz says that he would reshuffle his cabinet in response to weeks of nationwide protests over austerity measures. Government expels Colombia's ambassador on grounds of interference in internal affairs, following social media comments by Colombia's leftist President Gustavo Petro. In response, Colombia “ends the function” of Bolivia’s ambassador.
04/23/2026
Rebels of the Comandos de la Frontera group attack military base with drones, killing three.
04/21/2026
UN report says that an armed group in Libya, the Subul al-Salam Battalion, helped the transfer of former Colombian military personnel to fight with the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group against the Sudanese military.
03/17/2026
Colombian President Petro accuses Ecuador of bombing near the border amid a US-backed Ecuadorean military campaign against armed groups in the region. Noboa denies this.
03/16/2026
Ecuador says it has sent 75,000 troops and police to crime-ridden provinces. President Noboa has said that some of the violence comes from groups in Colombia
03/08/2026
Legislative elections. The parties receiving the most votes for the Senate were the ruling Historic Pact and the Democratic Center, the main opposition party. In the House of Representatives, the Democratic Center received the most votes, followed by traditional parties such as the Liberal, Conservative and U parties. The Historical Pact came in fifth. Although the Historic Pact emerges as the strongest political force in the incoming Senate, its failure to secure an absolute majority means it will need to form coalitions and may struggle if Colombia's divided right wing wins the presidency.
01/04/2026
US President Trump holds a cordial phone call with President Petro.
01/04/2026
Trump informally threatens Colombia, Cuba, Iran, and Greenland with possible actions similar to the deposing of Maduro in Venezuela.
12/05/2025
Government and the Clan del Golfo crime gang agree at negotiations in Qatar that combatants from the group will gradually gather in three defined areas beginning 3/1/26.
10/24/2025
he Historic Pact — a collective of center-left to far-left parties that replaces an earlier coalition named Historic Pact for Colombia launched ahead of the 2022 election names Senator Iván Cepeda as its candidate for president. The group intends to unify the left and the center through another primary vote to be held on the same day as the legislative elections, on 3/8/26. Cepeda would then compete with former ministers Roy Barres and Juan Fernando Cristo, Senator Clara López, or even former Medellín mayor Daniel Quintero, if the proposal is approved. The presidential election will be held in 5/26.
10/23/2025
US strikes two boats in the Pacific off the coast of Colombia as part of its so-called war on drug cartels, killing three people.
10/19/2025
US President Trump says he will increase tariffs on Colombia and end all payments to Colombia because he says President Petro is not doing enough to stop the drug trade and insults Petro. US says the US has struck on a vessel associated with the ELN that was allegedly carrying "substantial amounts of narcotics."
08/10/2025
Uribe dies.
06/10/2025
FARC dissidents carry out nineteen bombings, killing seven.
06/09/2025
Mr. Uribe Turbay’s condition is said to be still critical.
06/07/2025
Presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay is shot in the head. His condition is critical. A young man was caught after having shot two times, according to reports.
02/09/2025
Petro calls on cabinet ministers to resign before he reshuffles the cabinet.
02/06/2025
Internal rebellion by a group of ministers seriously threatens to derail Petro’s presidency, who has been criticized for naming Armando Benedetti as the main advisor to the government. They consider him a conservative who endangered the entire progressive project by leaking audios in which he threatened to go to court with evidence that supposedly would prove the president’s electoral campaign was financed with illicit money. Petro has placed him in charge of the presidential agenda as chief of staff and installed him as a liaison with themselves and Congress. In addition, ministers felt humiliated when Petro ordered the live broadcast, without prior notice, of a cabinet meeting on 2/4 in which he blamed them for breaking the government’s promises. Following the meeting, a minister, the director of the presidency, and Petro’s legal secretary all resigned. Several cabinet officials then held a broadcast in which they criticized Petro for including Benedetti in the cabinet. Benedetti is also the subject of an investigation into alleged mistreatment of his partner in Spain.
01/26/2025
Colombia objects to receiving migrants deported from the US, which then threatens tariffs and visa sanctions on government officials. Colombia threatens retaliatory tariffs, but then US says the country has agreed to accept deportees and revokes threat of tariffs.
10/13/2024
Army reenters the regional capital of El Plateo in Argelia, to clear if of FARC dissidents.
05/02/2024
Gulf Clan demands to be accepted as a political party, not a para-military group and that its members be released from jail.
03/19/2024
The Gulf Clan accepts Petro’s offer, denying that it is involved in migrant trafficking and saying that it will negotiate for social transformation of the regions it represents.
03/18/2024
Petro offers to open negotiations with the drug cartel known as Gulf Clan, which calls itself a politico-military group, the Gaitanista Self-Defense Forces of Colombia. The group has been an obstacle in Petro’s efforts to arrange peace agreements with the various rebel groups. Petro dares them to leave “the illicit economy and illegality,” to stop taxing local businesses, and to end migrant trafficking.
02/28/2024
Colombia suspends arms purchases from Israel. President Petro denounces Gaza war as genocide.
02/28/2024
Government suspends arms purchases from Israel. Petro denounces Gaza war as genocide.
10/31/2023
Chile and Colombia recall their ambassadors to Israel for consultation over the invasion of Gaza.
10/31/2023
Chile and Colombia recall their ambassadors to Israel for consultation over the invasions of Gaza.
06/09/2023
Government and National Liberation Army (ELN) agree to a six-month nationwide ceasefire beginning 8/3/23, following a series of steps to be negotiated.
05/07/2023
Government sends Venezuelan refugees who were stranded at the border with Peru back to Venezuela, angering Peru government.
04/26/2023
Petro replaces seven ministers, notably the centrist ones, as he tries to get his healthcare reform moving forward. Even one of his allies, Congress President Roy Barreres, expresses dismay.
03/20/2023
Government is forced to suspend ceasefire with the Clan del Golfo, the most powerful and violent of the narco-traffickers in the country.
03/01/2023
A clash over healthcare and education reforms has provoked the first reshuffle of Petro’s government since he took power last August. Petro’s plans to expand the government’s role in both sectors drew a public backlash from several of his more centrist cabinet officials. Among them was Education Minister Alejandro Gaviria, whom Petro fired along with the ministers of sport and culture.
01/10/2023
Vice-president Francia Marquez says security discovered and defused a bomb planted near her home in an apparent assassination plot
01/01/2023
Government announces six-month ceasefire agreement with thee five largest militarized dissident groups, including the ELN.
12/19/2022
National Liberation Army (ELN) announces unilateral ceasefire until 1/2/23. Peace talks with the government will continue.
11/01/2022
Colombian President Petro and Venezuelan President Maduro meet to discuss regional issues. Venezuela hopes to be more accepted by the Latin American community and Petro hopes for Venezuela’s help with the ELN guerrilla group, which has so far refused to negotiate with the government.
10/03/2022
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and President Petro meet. Petro has recently said that the war on drugs has “failed” and that cocaine and some other drugs should be decriminalized, in part because the US drug problem is more about synthetic drugs such as fentanyl. He has also restored some ties with Venezuela and believes Cuba should be less isolated in the international community. While acknowledging differences, Blinken addressed the issues moderately.
08/29/2022
Colombia and Venezuela restore diplomatic relations.
07/06/2022
Petro calls for a “bilateral ceasefire” and new negotiations with the National Liberation Army (ELN), the last rebel group that has not agreed to lay down its arms.


06/19/2022
Petro elected president
In voting today, Petro wins with just over 50% of the vote to Hernandez’s 47%.
05/29/2022
In voting today, with results announced on 5/30, Petro wins about 40% of the vote and populist businessman Hernández about 28%. Those two will face each other in a runoff on 6/19. Gutierrez wins about 23%. Hernández’s strong late showing indicates a dissatisfaction with the political mainstream. independent populist tycoon who surged late in the campaign with an anti-corruption message. The two will head to a runoff on June 19. Both promise a radical reorientation of the country at a time of high inequality, rising violence, and simmering social tensions. For Petro, the answer lies in super-taxing the rich, massively expanding the social safety net, and decarbonizing the economy. Hernández, meanwhile, wants to slash taxes, shrink the state bureaucracy, and even legalize cocaine.
05/18/2022
Petro remains substantially ahead in the polls for the election 5/29/22.
05/09/2022
After the government extradites drug lord “Otoniel” to the US for trial, drug gangs, led by the Clan del Golfo, wreak violence in northern Colombia. Presidential aspirant Gustavo Petro blames the Alvaro policies. Right-wing candidate, populist wealthy businessman Rudolfo “Fico” Gutierrez calls on Colombians to condemn the violence and call for crackdown on the gangs. Gutierrez’s anti-corruption message, along with his proposals to slash taxes, shrink the state bureaucracy, and even legalize cocaine seem to resonate with Colombians who want change but not leftist change. The first round of elections is 5/29.
03/13/2022
Gustavo Petro of Historic Pact coalition takes a commanding lead in presidential voting. Petro is a former guerilla and former mayor of Bogotá who now has strong support in establishment politics. Results for parliamentary elections to come, though it seems that no coalition will be able to form a majority.
01/03/2022
Fighting between rebel groups (the National Army of Liberation (ELN) and dissident members of FARC) near the Venezuelan border kills scores.
10/05/2021
Venezuela and Colombia reopen their mutual border.
08/09/2021
Nicaragua recalls its ambassadors to Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Mexico for “consultations,” after these countries recall their ambassadors following the anti-democratic behavior of the Nicaraguan government.
06/30/2021
Large protests across the country about police brutality and the economic devastation caused by COVID-19.
05/12/2021
Protests continue.
05/06/2021
Eighth day of protests. Protestors are tear gassed.
05/02/2021
Duqué withdraws his tax reform proposal, though he insists it is necessary. The National Strike Committee calls for continued protests.
04/30/2021
COVID-19 ravaging South America, in part due to massive outbreak of variant and ineffective response to it in Brazil. Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Peru all record highest death toll.
04/29/2021
Protests continue.
04/28/2021
Protests erupt against Duqué over his proposal for increased taxes and healthcare reform. Severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Colombia has seen its economy collapse and unemployment soar.
02/07/2021
Colombia gives temporary, 10-year legal status to refugees from Venezuela. They may apply for citizenship after that.
10/19/2020
Indigenous protestors demand a meeting with Duque to discuss violence against indigenous people that has arisen after the peace agreement with FARC, as local gangs fight over the drug route and areas formerly controlled by FARC. Student groups and trade unions also call for a national strike on 10/21.
09/09/2020
Violent clashes between police and protestors after a taxi driver is tasered by police. Ten are killed and more than three hundred injured.
05/15/2020
Government allows essential workers to return to work. Colombia has about 14,000 cases and more than 500 deaths.
05/04/2020
Commander of Colombian Military Forces General Luis Fernando Navarro says that spying will be rooted out and was the work of a rogue group within the military.
05/01/2020
Eleven military officials are removed and one general resigns due to revelations of electronic spying on journalists, politicians, and judges.
04/20/2020
Government extends stay-at-home order to 5/11 but allows construction and manufacturing to resume. Colombia has about 4000 confirmed cases and 200 deaths.
04/08/2020
Murder rates drop significantly, perhaps due to quarantine due to COVID-19.
03/06/2020
Colombia confirms its first case of COVID-19.
12/04/2019
Opposition continues with national protest march as talks show little progress.
11/27/2019
Protests decrease in intensity. Major union calls for new strike on 12/4.
11/24/2019
Pres Duque opens dialogue with mayors and governors from around the country. Protestors are skeptical.
11/22/2019
Hundreds of thousands join protest.
11/20/2019
Government announces plan to close its border to contain mass strikes and protests beginning 11/21. There are multiple areas of discontent: the slow pace of implementing the peace agreement with FARC, killings of local leaders, and governmental inactivity and corruption.
09/10/2019
Venezuela sends 150,000 troops to Colombia border, ostensibly to defend against an attack, although there are no indications that any attack is going to happen.
09/01/2019
Morales blamed for devastating wildfires, due to a law he advocated that encouraged burning brush for farmland and grazing.
08/29/2019
FARC rebels say they're about to restart their insurgency, which they're referring to as "new era of struggle to awake consciousness," because of failure to implement the terms of a 2016 peace deal.
06/08/2019
Venezuela reopens border with Colombia.
05/29/2019
Court orders the release of the head of FARC, Seuxis Hernandez (known by his nom de guerre, Jesus Santrich), jailed on US drug charges. Duque wants to extradite him to the US. He was recently freed from jail when a court ruled that he could not be extradited, but was jailed again almost immediately on new charges. He may now take his seat in the legislature.
05/22/2019
Military says it will modify its policy regarding criminals and militants.
05/20/2019
Media reports that in 1/19, the military ordered its units to double the number of suspected criminals and militants it reported killed or captured. It was reported to be frustrated with the slow pace of peace negotiations. Two years after the agreement with FARC, little has happened, and some militants have returned to fighting. Others never signed the agreement.
04/09/2019
Government says it has uncovered an assassination plot against President Duque by indigenous groups that have been protesting for weeks about the rights to land and sovereignty.
04/06/2019
Government agrees to invest $250 million in indigenous communities, which have been demonstrating for more recognition, the “minga” protests, which have blockaded transportation in the state of Cauca.
02/23/2019
Clashes at several points along both the borders with Colombia and Brazil between military and opposition attempting to deliver humanitarian aid. Hundreds are injured in Colombia and more are killed in Brazil. Venezuela breaks off diplomatic relations with Colombia.
09/26/2018
Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Peru and Paraguay, joined by Canada, submit a complaint against Venezuela with the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.
08/09/2018
Palestine says that the previous administration in Colombia recognized Palestine as an independent state on 8/3. Israel objects and the Duque administration says it will review the decision.


06/17/2018
Duque elected president
Businessman Ivan Duque is elected president of Colombia. He has vowed to renegotiate the peace agreement with FARC. Many believe that FARC members were handled too leniently in the agreement.
01/25/2018
Government says it will not recognize outcome of upcoming presidential election in Venezuela.
01/23/2018
More than 500,000 Venezuelans said to have migrated to Colombia.
12/14/2017
Colombia’s largest criminal gang begins unilateral ceasefire to help “bring about peace.”
11/01/2017
FARC leader Rodrigo “Timochenko” Londono announces run for presidency of Colombia in 2018.