This military caravan video is from 2019 and happened in La Guajira

A video circulating online appears to show military armored vehicles moving along a road in northern Colombia, but it was filmed in 2019 and has been shared repeatedly since June 2022. The footage, which has been widely disseminated on social media and even posted by political figures such as Carlos Felipe Mejía and María Fernanda Cabal, falsely suggests a recent military operation in the Catatumbo and Cauca regions aimed at combating illegal armed groups. However, investigators have confirmed that the video does not depict current events. The footage shows a route leading northward through La Guajira, specifically near the town of San Juan del Cesar, rather than toward the Catatumbo or Cauca regions. A detailed analysis of the video revealed signs indicating its location, including roadside markers reading “San Juan del Cesar,” “Valledupar,” and “El Molino.” These clues helped identify the exact spot where the video was recorded: near the entrance of San Juan del Cesar on the La Paz, Buenavista highway. Further examination showed that the vehicles in the video were traveling south to north, making it impossible for them to be heading toward the Catatumbo or Cauca, which lie in the opposite direction. An investigation into the images identified the vehicles as models used by the Colombian National Army. Specifically, the light brown vehicles were determined to be M1117 ASV armored personnel carriers, a type the army had previously received, including 20 units delivered in December 2021. The green-colored vehicles matched descriptions of General Dynamics Land Systems LAV-III models, which the army listed on its website starting in 2024. The video’s origin was traced back to a YouTube channel called DEPREDADOR SNIPER, known for posting content related to military and security matters. The video was uploaded on June 21, 2022, but the footage itself was captured seven years earlier, in 2019. The Colombian National Army’s press office confirmed this, stating that although the video was published in 2022, it was actually recorded during the delivery of these vehicles in 2019. Security has been a key focus of President Abelardo de la Espriella’s administration since his inauguration on August 7. During his swearing-in ceremony, he emphasized the need for a new approach to security, declaring the peace process exhausted and ending negotiations under the “total peace” framework. His government quickly took action, with the National Institute of Penal Execution (Inpec) relocating 117 high-profile inmates, including 103 leaders held in Itagüí’s La Paz prison, to higher-security facilities. This marked the first major security move by the new administration. The country faced a wave of attacks against law enforcement in at least 11 departments shortly after the president’s inauguration. On August 9, clashes erupted between the army and a faction linked to Iván Mordisco, known as Carlos Patiño, in Cauca. Days later, the army confirmed that two members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (ELN) were killed in a bombing near Tibú and San Calixto in the Catatumbo region, marking the first large-scale operation conducted by the new government. Additionally, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that Colombia would join the Coalition Against Cartels of the Americas (A3C), enabling joint operations against drug-related violence. As the new administration continues to implement its security agenda, ongoing reports suggest increased military activity and efforts to disrupt illicit economies in the region. Monitoring the progress of these initiatives will remain crucial in assessing the effectiveness of the government’s strategy.