As Colombian government forces intensify their military campaign against guerrilla militias in the Amazon rainforest, the use of drone technology has emerged as a significant and disturbing factor in the ongoing conflict. Since far-right President Abelardo de la Espriella took office on August 7, the violence between state forces and armed groups has escalated sharply, with drones increasingly deployed by militias operating along key cocaine trafficking routes.

This shift follows four years of a “total peace” approach under former left-wing President Gustavo Petro, which has been largely abandoned by De la Espriella’s administration in favor of aggressive confrontation. De la Espriella won the presidential election in June by a narrow margin, campaigning on a platform promising a crackdown on organized crime and signaling a zero-tolerance policy toward armed militants, offering them only prison or death.

The first weeks of De la Espriella’s government have been marked by a sharp rise in conflict-related fatalities. August recorded 84 deaths in clashes between security forces and armed groups, the deadliest month since data tracking began in 2018, according to regional conflict monitors. Alongside this surge in violence, the number of recorded drone attacks against government forces has increased markedly. In the first three weeks of August alone, about 30 attacks were reported—four times the number observed in the preceding weeks.

Colombia has become a regional hotspot for drone warfare in Latin America. Of 182 municipalities reporting weaponized drone activity across the continent, more than half are in Colombia. After only one recorded armed drone incident in 2023, figures jumped to approximately 150 in 2025, with nearly 200 incidents so far in 2026.

Militias with financial backing from cocaine trafficking have been rapidly adopting drones to enhance their tactical capabilities. Various groups have incorporated drones in their conflicts: the left-wing National Liberation Army (ELN) began using drones in clashes with the FARC dissident 33rd Front, which itself employs drones against the Gulf Clan, Colombia’s largest drug cartel. The Gulf Clan, in turn, has deployed drones against rival paramilitary organizations such as the ACSN.

While drones typically target police stations or military positions in zones marked by drug trafficking, their use has increasingly put civilians at risk. The technology’s imprecision means nearby homes have been struck, and unexploded drones have surfaced within local communities, posing new dangers including to children. The psychological impact of drones is also significant; residents express ongoing trauma from the pervasive drone presence even when not directly hit.

As Colombia’s government pursues a hardline security approach, the intensifying drone warfare underscores the complex and evolving nature of violence linked to the country’s cocaine trade. Civilians living along these contested trafficking routes face growing risks amid a conflict that continues to escalate in scale and technological sophistication.