Cargo moves on the Meta River at Cabuyaro, in eastern Colombia; farther downstream the river forms part of the Colombia and Venezuela border. File photo, 2015. (Photo: Victormontealegre, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

VENEZUELA · SECURITY

A rebel camp strike by Venezuela’s army is alleged to have hit Colombian guerrillas in the border state of Apure on Friday 30 October 2026. Neither government has confirmed it, and the claim rests on Fundaredes, a Venezuelan human rights group that works in border areas.

The rebels belong to the National Liberation Army, known as the ELN, a Colombian guerrilla group on the US terrorist list. A Fundaredes coordinator says up to 19 people died, but no Venezuelan or Colombian official had said anything public by Sunday 1 November.

What We Know About the Rebel Camp Strike

The Fundaredes coordinator for Apure says the bombing hit a camp in the Buena Vista del Meta area of Apure state on Friday 30 October. He is Juan Francisco García Escalona, a former Venezuelan lawmaker, and he says at least 19 people died.

He says nine bodies went to the state capital, San Fernando de Apure, and ten stayed at the site. He adds that wounded people crossed into Colombia, which no Colombian authority has confirmed.

What Officials Have and Have Not Said

No Venezuelan minister, army spokesperson or government statement had confirmed or denied the bombing by Sunday 1 November 2026. Delcy Rodríguez, interim president since US forces captured Nicolás Maduro on 3 January 2026, has not commented.

Colombia’s government, led by President Abelardo De la Espriella since 7 August 2026, has not commented either. Rocío San Miguel, a Venezuelan rights lawyer who heads the security-policy group Control Ciudadano, wrote on X that she was waiting for official information.

Aerial view of Cúcuta, the capital of Norte de Santander on the Venezuelan border, file photo, 2023. (Photo: D1090, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Why the ELN and Venezuela’s Army Are in the Spotlight

The ELN grew out of Colombia’s long civil conflict but has kept camps and smuggling routes on the Venezuelan side of the border for years. García Escalona links about 20 days of clashes around Los Pijiguaos, a mining area in Bolívar state, to disputes over bauxite and coltan.

On Friday 24 April 2026, Colombia’s then-president Gustavo Petro and Rodríguez met in Caracas. They pledged to share intelligence and draw up joint military plans against border armed groups, including the ELN.

What Venezuela Said After the May Bombing

In May 2026, Petro said he had ordered a bombing of an ELN camp under an agreement with Venezuela. Venezuela’s foreign minister, Yván Gil, answered on 13 May with a statement of concern about border violence.

His statement did not acknowledge any joint operation. That history is why a rebel camp strike on the Venezuelan side would be a notable step if confirmed.

Why a Rebel Camp Strike Matters to the United States

Washington lists the ELN as a terrorist organization and has been deeply involved in both countries in 2026. That runs from the capture of Maduro in January to the change of government in Bogotá in August.

Any rebel camp strike or new fighting on the border touches US interests in security, migration and the fight against cocaine trafficking. Our Venezuela geopolitics explainer lays out the wider picture.

What It Means for You

Americans planning to travel to Venezuela or to Colombia’s eastern border areas should check the latest US State Department advisory first. Armed groups operate in both zones, and our Venezuela security explainer and Colombia security guide name the main hotspots.

Investors and analysts should watch for a statement from Caracas or Bogotá, since a confirmation would change how border risk is judged. Until then, treat the death toll and the victims’ identities as unverified, and treat any rebel camp strike claim with care.

What Is Not Known

It is not known whether the rebel camp strike took place as described, who ordered it, or whether it was an air strike at all. The toll is unclear too: García Escalona says nine bodies reached the state capital and ten more stayed at the site, which makes 19.

Nobody has said who the dead were or how many of them belonged to the ELN. It is also unknown whether Colombia was told in advance, took part or has seen any of the wounded.

What Comes Next

The first test of the rebel camp strike story is whether the Venezuelan government or armed forces break their silence in the coming days. A statement from Colombia’s government, or from the ELN, would also help to settle what happened.

Our Venezuela hub will carry any official confirmation as soon as it comes. The Rio Times Latin America Power Index tracks how these security questions shape Venezuela’s standing in the region.

More: Venezuela news in English, every day from The Rio Times.

Frequently Asked Questions

Was there a Venezuelan rebel camp strike on 30 October?

A Venezuelan rights group says so, but neither the Venezuelan nor the Colombian government had confirmed it by 1 November 2026. Treat the claim as unverified.

What is the ELN?

The ELN, or National Liberation Army, is a Colombian guerrilla group founded in 1964. The United States lists it as a terrorist organization.

How many people died in the reported strike?

A Fundaredes coordinator says nine bodies reached the state capital and ten stayed at the site, 19 in all. No official figure exists.

Why does this matter outside Venezuela and Colombia?

A rebel camp strike and other fighting on the border affect regional security, migration and the drug trade, all of which concern Washington. It also tests the cooperation Venezuela and Colombia pledged in April 2026.

Sources: Fundaredes, public statements on the reported strike in Apure state, 31 October 2026; Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, statement on violence in the Catatumbo border region (Yván Gil), 13 May 2026; Presidency of Colombia, official information on the government of President Abelardo De la Espriella, 1 November 2026; Colombian Ministry of Defence, official information, 1 November 2026.

Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error