COLOMBIA · SECURITY
Key Facts
- The country Colombia is a close US security partner in South America, and Cúcuta is its main city on the Venezuelan border.
- What happened Miguel Castellanos, a former Cúcuta government secretary and mayoral hopeful, was shot dead on Monday 26 October 2026.
- The setting Cúcuta is the capital of Norte de Santander, the department where the ELN guerrillas and FARC dissidents fight over the Catatumbo region.
- The reward The Norte de Santander government offers up to 50 million pesos (about US$15,800) for information on the killers.
- The vote Colombia holds local elections on 31 October 2027, with 20,323 posts at stake.
- Power Index Colombia ranks 6th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 51.9 points (October 2026 edition).
Cúcuta political violence is back in focus after mayoral hopeful Miguel Castellanos, a former city official, was shot dead on 26 October 2026. Cúcuta is Colombia’s main city on the Venezuelan border, and our report on the killing covers what happened.
This guide explains why the case worries Colombians, which armed groups operate around the city and what it could mean for next year’s local elections. For US readers it matters because Washington treats the Venezuela border as a focus of security, drug and migration policy.
Why Cúcuta Political Violence Alarms Colombians
Castellanos, a retired police major, was Cúcuta’s secretary of government until he resigned in January 2026. Security Secretary George Quintero said a motorcycle struck his armored pickup and the rider shot him when he got out.
Bogotá Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán said that “doing politics in this country cannot cost a life,” according to El Tiempo. The Procuraduría, the state watchdog led by Gregorio Eljach, asked the authorities to reinforce security in Cúcuta at once.
A Border City Where Armed Groups Compete
Cúcuta lies a short drive from the Venezuelan frontier, a route used for trade, migration and smuggling. The ELN, Colombia’s oldest guerrilla group, has long had a presence in and around the city, as our guide to Colombia’s neighbours explains.
In April 2026 the magazine Semana, citing authorities, wrote that Cúcuta was being projected as the first Colombian city co-opted by the ELN. Mayor Jorge Acevedo rejected the idea of no-go zones for the security forces and told the magazine the ELN “has always been here.”
The Catatumbo War Next Door
Cúcuta political violence has a neighbour in Catatumbo, a northern mountain region where the ELN has fought Front 33, ex-FARC guerrillas, since January 2025. Semana reported that the Norte de Santander government counted 192 people killed and 101,883 displaced there between January 2025 and April 2026.
The Colombian government of President Gustavo Petro suspended peace talks with the ELN in January 2025, according to the same report. Semana says the war has reached Cúcuta’s neighbourhoods through killings, extortion and kidnappings.
A Pattern of Attacks in the City
On 1 August 2026 explosions shook several parts of Cúcuta and damaged the Norte de Santander police command, according to Vanguardia. At least 11 people were hurt, including eight police officers, and the Defense Ministry offered up to 200 million pesos (about US$63,400) for information.
A day later, Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez said early investigations point to ELN members alias David and alias Nay or Nike, according to El Heraldo. The government offers up to 800 million pesos (about US$253,500) for David, and President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella vowed arrests.
Former presidential precandidate David Luna said gunmen attacked Jairo Castellanos’ security vehicle in Arauca in February, killing two escorts. La Opinión, which reported his words, shows no official confirmation, and officials have not linked that attack to this killing.
What the 2027 Local Elections Add
Colombia elects governors, mayors, deputies and councillors on 31 October 2027, and voter registration opens on 31 October 2026, according to Blu Radio. The Electoral Observation Mission, an independent monitor known as the MOE, counts at least 20,323 posts at stake.
MOE director Alejandra Barrios said, “We do not have a security policy, we have public-order actions.” She flagged a belt of persistent violence from La Guajira to Arauca, with Catatumbo among the critical points.
What the Authorities Have Done So Far
Cúcuta held an extraordinary security council on the day of the killing, La Opinión reported, to establish the motives and strengthen security in the city. The paper listed no concrete measures.
Security Secretary George Quintero told Caracol Radio that Castellanos had a National Protection Unit scheme but was not with his escorts. The unit is the state’s agency for threatened people, Quintero knew of no earlier threats, and the Fiscalía, the prosecutors’ office, went to the scene.
What It Means for US Readers
Colombia is a leading US partner against drug trafficking, and the Venezuelan border is central to US counternarcotics and migration policy. Cúcuta political violence tests that partnership at the local level.
Travellers to Norte de Santander should check the US State Department advisory for Colombia, which treats regions differently. Investors should watch whether the 2027 campaign brings new security rules for candidates after the Cúcuta political violence of recent months.
What Is Not Known
Authorities have not said who ordered or carried out the killing, or whether Cúcuta political violence was the motive. No arrests have been announced, and no armed group has been linked to the case.
It is also unclear whether Castellanos had formally registered as a candidate, since the campaign has not begun. Officials have not said whether security for other mayoral hopefuls will change.
More: Colombia news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Miguel Castellanos?
He was a retired National Police major with more than 21 years of service and Cúcuta’s government secretary until January 2026. He was widely reported as a precandidate for mayor in the 2027 elections.
Which armed groups operate around Cúcuta?
The ELN, Front 33 of the FARC dissidents and criminal gangs are active in the area, according to Colombian reporting. None has been officially linked to this killing.
When are Colombia’s next local elections?
They are scheduled for 31 October 2027, according to the MOE. Voters will choose governors, mayors, deputies and councillors.
Is it safe to travel to Cúcuta?
Cúcuta political violence includes explosions on 1 August 2026, and the city is a major crossing point to Venezuela. Check the US State Department’s Colombia advisory before any trip.
What is the reward for information?
Norte de Santander’s security secretary announced up to 50 million pesos (about US$15,800). Anyone with information should contact the Fiscalía or the police.
Sources: El Tiempo, 26 October 2026; La Opinión, 26 October 2026; La Opinión, 26 October 2026; Portafolio, 26 October 2026; Semana, 25 April 2026; Blu Radio, 21 October 2026; Vanguardia, 1 August 2026; El Heraldo, 2 August 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief