Top ELN recruiter captured in southwestern Colombia

Colombian authorities have captured a key figure in the National Liberation Army (ELN), identified as alias Viejo, who is accused of being one of the group's primary recruiters in the southwestern region. The 25-year-old, who had spent eight years with the insurgent group, was apprehended in Buenaventura during an operation by the Search Bloc.

Investigators allege that alias Viejo was instrumental in the forced recruitment of children and adolescents, as well as orchestrating propaganda campaigns for the ELN in the Cauca and Valle del Cauca departments. His capture was executed under an active arrest warrant for rebellion.

Alias Viejo's alleged criminal activities extend beyond recruitment. Investigations link him to acts such as installing ELN banners in Palmira, burning vehicles on the road connecting Buenaventura and Loboguerrero, and coordinating leaflet campaigns in December 2025. Intelligence agencies also suggest he was involved in planning further terrorist actions targeting Valle del Cauca.

General Herbert Benavídez, commander of the Metropolitan Police of Cali, highlighted the significance of the capture, stating, "In an operational action by the Search Bloc, alias Viejo was captured in the municipality of Buenaventura, one of the main articulators of the forced recruitment of children, girls, and adolescents, and of the terrorist propaganda deployment of the ELN in Cauca and Valle del Cauca." The operation is seen as a blow to organized crime in the region.