Colombia will levy a 1% tax on fossil fuel production, including oil and coal, its top revenue sources, until year-end as part of a state of emergency declared last month, announced the finance ministry on Friday.

Additionally, a 19% sales tax on online gambling will be enforced, according to the finance ministry's statement.

These measures aim to generate 3 trillion pesos (approximately $721 million), Finance Minister Diego Guevara informed Reuters. Guevara has expressed his intention to propose making these measures permanent in a forthcoming tax reform to be presented to Congress.

The government instituted a state of emergency in the Catatumbo region, in Norte de Santander, following accusations that rebels from the leftist National Liberation Army (ELN) had targeted ex-members of the now-demobilised Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and community leaders in a series of attacks.

Despite accusations, the ELN has denied involvement in attacks on civilians.

The government has emphasized that the taxes are necessary to raise funds to address the emergency due to fiscal limitations resulting from decreased tax revenues.