ELN

EJÉRCITO DE LIBERACIÓN NACIONAL
NATIONAL LIBERATION ARMY

After receiving training in Havana in insurgent warfare, a group of Colombians inspired by the Cuban revolution returned to Colombia in 1964.  Led by Fabio Vasquez Castano, they founded the Ejército de Liberación Nacional, or National Liberation Army (ELN).  The current top commander is Nicolas Rodriguez Bautista.

ELN is widely recognized as the second-most powerful rebel group in Colombia, and is believed to have between 3,500 and 5,000 fighters.  Their failure to move into the drug trade for moral reasons is believed to be the reason they did not undergo the explosive military growth experienced by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

ELN are known to utilize kidnapping to finance their operation, taking over 800 hostages in 2001 alone.  In contrast, it is believed that FARC currently holds between 700-750 hostages in total.  The group also focuses on attacking infrastructure targets like the oil industry.

Recently, ELN has been hit hard by Colombia’s armed forces and other paramilitary groups.  The group entered into exploratory peace talks in December 2005 and January 2006.

The ELN is on the U.S. State Department and European Union lists of terrorist organizations.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – Profiles:  Colombia’s armed groups

BBC News – Colombia’s rebel kidnappers

Wikipedia – National Liberation Army (Colombia)

Impunity Watch - South America

PHOTOS: Top Right - Wikipedia; Bottom Right - BBC News