Summary
Highlights
Colombia is experiencing its worst violence in a decade, with over 65,000 people displaced due to a war between two heavily armed guerrilla groups. They are fighting for control of Tibú, one of the world's top coca-producing regions, and the lucrative cocaine industry. The Colombian army struggles to contain the fighting, and this video aims to uncover the forces driving the conflict, its impact on civilians, and the objectives of the winning guerrilla group.
Farmers in Tibú primarily cultivate coca leaf, the main ingredient in cocaine, due to its high value compared to other crops. Despite the significant revenue it generates for the cocaine industry, farmers receive minimal profit. The trading of coca is controlled by armed groups, specifically the ELN and a FARC splinter group, who tax farmers and allegedly purchase the processed coca for international sale. This conflict has forced tens of thousands of civilians from their homes, who express fear, displacement, and a lack of understanding regarding the guerrillas' true motives.
The Colombian government states that guerrilla groups frequently escape to neighboring Venezuela to regroup and resupply, allegedly with support from the Venezuelan government, a claim Venezuela denies. The Colombian army faces significant challenges in these remote regions, being stretched thin and often only able to show presence in areas effectively controlled by the armed groups. The guerrillas are becoming more sophisticated, even creating their own armored vehicles.
A 2016 peace deal with FARC saw thousands of fighters demobilize, but the ELN and some FARC splinter groups did not join. Six years later, President Gustavo Petro, a former guerrilla fighter, promised peace but his terms were rejected, leading to renewed conflict. This has allowed the ELN to gain significant territory. The documentary seeks to understand the transformation of these Marxist groups into key players in the global cocaine trade.
An ELN public spokesperson, Ricardo, distinguishes between drug traffickers and their group, claiming they only levy a tax on coca leaf, not engage in its transformation or export. He attributes the illegal drug trade to the FARC splinter group. He also dismisses claims of civilian aid and denies forced recruitment, asserting that any involvement of minors is voluntary due to social realities and a lack of opportunities in their communities. He states that any member involved in drug trafficking would face internal justice.
A former ELN member, demobilized through a program, recounts being forcibly recruited at 18 and made to combat FARC and plant landmines. He describes seeing cocaine production and claims minors are recruited, some voluntarily for power and money, others (girls as young as 14) for sexual exploitation by commanders. Civilians corroborate these accounts, explaining how children are influenced by social media portraying a glamorous life in the guerrillas, and how many join due to a lack of economic opportunity.
The ELN states that for peace to be achieved, the government needs a consistent, long-term peace policy, regardless of political affiliation. Despite their public claims of fighting for the people and denials of drug trafficking and forced recruitment, evidence collected contradicts their statements. The film concludes with the former ELN member reflecting on his time, calling it a waste and an experience that turned him into a 'killing machine', leaving him with an indelible mark.