Bogotá, November 10, 2026—Colombian authorities must take decisive steps to guarantee the safety of staffers at three major news outlets in Bogotá following a reported plot by a local guerrilla group to bomb their offices, said the Committee to Protect Journalists on Tuesday.
On Saturday, November 7, employees of Caracol Televisión and its sister outlet, Caracol Radio, evacuated their offices after authorities informed them of the threat, according to news reports and the Bogotá-based Foundation for Press Freedom.
The plot included plans to attack RCN, another major TV and radio network, and was the work of the National Liberation Army, a guerrilla group known as the ELN, according to investigators for the Attorney General’s office. Also on Saturday ELN was blamed by authorities for attacking with drones a military base near the Venezuelan border that left three soldiers killed and dozens of injured.
“Threats by criminal groups against media outlets and journalists in Colombia underscore the authorities’ failure to effectively address escalating violence against journalists in the country and ensure a safe environment for the press,” said Cristina Zahar, CPJ Latin America program coordinator, in São Paulo. “CPJ calls on the Colombian authorities to urgently investigate these threats, hold those responsible to account, and take concrete measures to protect journalists and safeguard press freedom.”
The bomb threats come amid a surge of violence in Colombia by criminal organizations, including the ELN, three months after President Abelardo de la Espriella was sworn-in and vowed to launch a military offensive against these groups.
“We are not going to allow narco-terrorists to intimidate Colombian journalism,” President Espriella wrote on X, adding that he had ordered security forces to protect the threatened media outlets as well as Semana newsweekly. “Press freedom is sacred and will be respected.”
In a statement, Caracol Radio said it would continue providing vital news to Colombians but said this requires safety guarantees for journalists.
This content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists and was authored by CPJ Staff.