In Colombia, rebels tried to undermine the Cenit oil pipeline

In Colombia, rebels from the National Liberation Army (ELN) group tried to blow up two oil pipeline points in the Arauca department on the border with Venezuela. This was reported by the newspaper El Tiempo on March 20.

"The authorities reported that ELN militants, using explosive devices, attacked two points of the Caño-Limón-Covenyas oil pipeline in Arauca at the same time last Wednesday afternoon (March 19)," the newspaper informs.

At the same time, Cenit, a subsidiary of Ecopetrol Group, clarified that as a result of the attempted explosion, the pipeline structure "did not lose its tightness." In this regard, the protocol of the action plan was activated in case depressurization does occur.

"The company has informed the Fortoul Municipal Disaster Risk Management Council about the emergency situation and [its further] actions," a representative of the pipeline operator said.

The corporation also urged the public not to approach the incident area until all necessary work has been completed to eliminate the consequences of the attack.

"Cenit and Ecopetrol reject these illegal and violent actions and call for an end to the systematic crimes against the hydrocarbon transportation infrastructure owned by all Colombians," the company said in a statement.

On February 19, unidentified people threw an explosive device at a group of people in the center of Colombia's capital Bogota, killing one person and injuring seven others. It is noted that the authorities are already investigating. Presumably, the reason could be the settling of accounts between criminal gangs. Last October, the newspaper El Tiempo reported on the explosion in Colombia's El Plateado.