Petro urges Colombians to celebrate Christmas season despite ELN rebels' forced strike

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — President Gustavo Petro on Sunday asked Colombians to celebrate the Christmas season without fear after rebels announced a forced strike in parts of the country in response to his government’s actions against them, and to U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to expand strikes.

On X, Petro reposted a document in which the left-wing National Liberation Army, or ELN, rebel group said it was calling for an armed strike that will require confining civilians to their homes and restricting commercial activity and transportation.

Armed strikes often involve school closures and civilians who defy the rebels’ orders are threatened with execution.

The ELN justified the measure, which began Sunday and runs until 6 a.m. local time Wednesday, by citing a “counterinsurgency plan” against it and “the imperialist aggression” — a reference to Trump’s actions in the region.

The ELN told the residents of Bogota, Medellin, Cali, Popayan and Barrancabermeja to avoid facilities belonging to the police and the military. It also called on public transportation companies and shops to suspend their activities.

“These are not threats against Trump, they are threats against Colombia,” Petro said. He said he ordered Colombia’s security forces to attack the ELN.

“I ask the people of Colombia, in all parts of the national territory, to go out and celebrate the Christmas season without fear. Fear paralyzes us, and we will not allow ourselves to be threatened either by foreign powers or by drug traffickers dressed up as revolutionaries,” he said.

The U.S. military has killed more than 80 people since early September, when it began striking vessels that the Trump administration has said were carrying drugs toward the U.S. The strikes began off Venezuela’s Caribbean coast and later expanded to the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Early in December, Trump said countries including Colombia could be targeted.

The U.S. also has built up its largest military presence in the region in generations, which many see as part of a strategy to pressure Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to resign.

Petro, the leftist leader of a traditional U.S. ally, has called the boat attacks “murders,” questioning the disproportionate use of force.

In January, Petro canceled peace talks with the ELN after an estimated 80 people were killed in rebel attacks in the northeastern Catatumbo region.