Colombia expels 71 Venezuelans over alleged criminal activity, deportees protest treatment
Key Takeaways
- Colombian authorities transported the group from Bucaramanga to the Venezuelan border following reports of more than 1,520 police entries.
- Some deportees accused Colombian officials of discriminatory remarks and poor treatment during the operation.
- Bucaramanga's mayor reported more than 230 expulsions in 2026, while Colombia recorded 812 deportations and expulsions nationwide between August and October.
Authorities in Bucaramanga transferred 71 Venezuelans to the border following reports of more than 1,520 police incidents, as some deportees accused officials of mistreatment.
Colombian authorities have expelled 71 Venezuelan nationals from Bucaramanga following allegations of criminal activity, with some of those deported accusing officials of mistreatment during the operation.
The group was transported from Bucaramanga, the capital of Santander department, to the Venezuelan border on Thursday, where they were handed over to Venezuelan authorities.
According to the Bucaramanga mayor's office, the 71 individuals had collectively accumulated more than 1,520 police entries involving alleged offences and infractions, including possession of bladed weapons and drugs, street fights, disrespect towards authorities and illegal mining.
However, officials did not clarify how many of these records resulted in criminal convictions.
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The operation began in the early hours of Thursday and involved the mayor's office, Colombian police and migration authorities.
Three buses transported the group to an international bridge in Cucuta, where they arrived around midday.
Some of those expelled criticised their treatment, alleging that Colombian officials had subjected them to degrading conditions and discriminatory remarks.
'They treat us like criminals, look. Look at our hands, how they are (...) "Go to your damned country", an official told us,' one of them alleged.
Bucaramanga Mayor Cristian Portilla said the latest operation brought the number of people expelled from the city in 2026 to more than 230, describing the figure as a record.
Meanwhile, Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella attended a separate security operation in Bucaramanga that resulted in 136 arrests for various offences.
In August, the president ordered the immediate expulsion of Venezuelan nationals living in Colombia without regular immigration status who also had criminal records.
According to figures released by the Presidency, Colombia recorded 812 deportations and expulsions of foreign nationals between 7 August and 29 October.
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Approximately 2.8 million Venezuelans currently live in Colombia.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
