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Pope Francis concerned about tension in Colombia’s Catatumbo region

Vatican City, Jan 26 (Prensa Latina) Pope Francis expressed his concern on Sunday about the violence that is shaking the region of Catatumbo, in northeastern Colombia.

A statement released by the Holy See press office indicated that the supreme pontiff addressed this issue after Sunday’s Angelus prayer, said at noon from the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, before more than 25,000 faithful and pilgrims who gathered in St. Peter’s Square. “I see with concern the situation in Colombia, particularly in the region of Catatumbo, where clashes between armed groups have caused numerous civilian victims and more than 30,000 displaced people,” the bishop of Rome noted.

“I express my closeness to you and my prayers,” Pope Francis added, in reference to the population affected by the current clashes in that Colombian region between the National Liberation Army (ELN) and the so-called Structure 33, a residual group of the extinct Revolutionary Armed Forces-People’s Army (FARC-EP).

The confrontations have so far left a death toll of approximately 80, six of them peace signatories, according to preliminary data from authorities in Norte de Santander, while kidnappings and disappearances are reported, in addition to the displacement of some 40,000 inhabitants.

Due to this delicate situation, Colombian President Gustavo Petro signed Decree 0062, in which he declared a state of internal unrest in the Catatumbo region, where the National Army is carrying out military actions to boost security, protect the inhabitants and try to end the confrontation.

jg/oda/ort

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