The open war between dissident factions of the former FARC led by alias Ivan Mordisco and alias Calarca once again plunged southern Colombia into a humanitarian crisis marked by lockdowns, displacement, and threats against the civilian population.
In departments such as Caqueta, Putumayo, and Amazonas, thousands of people were trapped amid armed shutdowns, mobility restrictions, and clashes that reflect the increasingly deep fragmentation of those illegal groups.
The confrontation is also taking place at a politically sensitive moment for the country. Just weeks before the presidential elections, the armed actions appear aimed less at directly disrupting election day and more at sending a message of territorial power and military capability.
The illegal groups are trying to demonstrate that they still maintain control over strategic corridors, rivers, and rural areas where the state’s presence remains limited, while communities live under constant pressure.
War between dissident groups affects thousands in southern Colombia
The split between the structures of Ivan Mordisco and Calarca transformed former pacts of criminal coexistence into a war over drug trafficking routes, illegal economies, and territorial control. What began as an internal division within the dissident groups ultimately turned into armed confrontations that are now hitting the Amazonian and southern regions of the country especially hard.
In recent weeks, armed shutdowns ordered by structures close to Mordisco paralyzed mobility in areas of Caqueta and Putumayo. Several communities reported restrictions on river navigation, the closure of commercial activities, and the suspension of classes in rural areas. According to humanitarian alerts, more than 13,000 people have been affected by the measures imposed by the armed groups.
Indigenous and farming communities are the most vulnerable. In many cases, residents remain confined out of fear of being caught in clashes or accused of collaborating with one side or the other.
The Ombudsman’s Office had already warned months earlier about the risk of mass displacement and armed disputes in rural areas of Caqueta, where both structures began clashing over control of strategic corridors.
The violence also spread to Guaviare, a department that has become one of the main battlegrounds of the dispute. Massacres, explosive attacks, and armed operations were reported there, revealing the level of confrontation between the two illegal blocs.
The consequences are already reflected in daily life. The Ombudsman’s Office described that “these communities have reported severe mobility restrictions, rising food costs, lack of fuel for community boats, and difficulties accessing essential goods and services.”
The message behind the violence
Although authorities remain on alert over possible risks to the electoral process, analysts and social organizations believe the armed actions are mainly intended to send a message of territorial dominance. The dissident groups are trying to demonstrate that they still have the capacity to impose rules, restrict movement, and challenge the state across vast areas of the country.
In regions historically affected by conflict, illegal groups use armed shutdowns as mechanisms of social control. The prohibition on moving around, opening businesses, or transporting food functions as a show of force both to the population and to their rivals.
In some municipalities, residents prefer to remain indoors rather than risk reprisals for disobeying orders from armed groups.
The electoral context amplifies that effect. The dissident groups know that any violent incident at this stage has a nationwide impact and attracts media attention.
For that reason, beyond directly sabotaging the elections, they seek to project the image that they continue to be actors with military and political influence in peripheral territories where the state still faces enormous difficulties in guaranteeing security and institutional presence.
Paros armados y restricciones a la movilidad agravan la crisis humanitaria en la cuenca de los ríos Caquetá, Caguán y Orteguaza. https://t.co/qstZBUfohD
— Iris Marín Ortiz (@MarnIris) May 16, 2026
A humanitarian crisis that continues to grow
The consequences for the civilian population are becoming increasingly severe. Humanitarian organizations have been warning about the rise in lockdowns and forced displacement in different regions of the country. The situation in southern Colombia adds to a broader deterioration of security in rural areas where illegal armed groups and drug trafficking-related economies operate.
In several communities in Caqueta and Putumayo, fear has once again become part of daily life. Social leaders report that many families are limiting their movements out of fear of illegal checkpoints or clashes on roads and rural paths. The restrictions are also affecting access to food, medical care, and education.
The confrontation between the factions of Mordisco and Calarca also reflects the failure of multiple attempts at negotiation and partial demobilization within the dissident groups, as well as the nature of organizations that are completely detached from politics and deeply rooted in criminality.
While some structures have maintained contacts with the Government, others have deepened their internal disputes and strengthened their armed presence, seeking not only dominance over illegal drug trafficking routes, but also hegemony within the various factions operating in armed criminal activity.
The result is a fragmentation that multiplies the hotspots of violence across different regions of the country. For the communities trapped in the middle of the dispute, war has once again become a permanent threat. In southern Colombia, the population is once again bearing the weight of a conflict in which civilians continue to pay the highest price, all just days before the elections.