At the meeting held in Cuba, the Colombian foreign minister rejected that the Antillean nation has been classified as a sponsor of terrorism. For his part, Cuban Minister Bruno Rodríguez indicated that his country will continue to support the peace talks with the ELN and Bogotá
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, Álvaro Leyva, visited the city of Havana, in Cuba, on Thursday, August 11, with the aim of reinitiating the peace talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN); that were suspended in 2019 by the administration of Iván Duque after the attack on the Santander General Police Cadet School in which at least 21 people died and which the insurgent group was awarded.
Leyva, who was accompanied by a delegation made up mainly of the High Commissioner for Peace, Danilo Rueda, and Senator Iván Cepeda, expressed his gratitude to his Cuban counterpart, Bruno Rodríguez, for the hospitality of the Antillean nation and expressed the wish of the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, of wanting to continue talks with the ELN.
He highlighted the work of Cuba as the venue for the peace talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in 2016, an act that, according to what he said, “has been considered an example for the entire world. Similarly, he recalled that for more than four decades that country has welcomed various delegations from the Colombian government and armed groups to achieve peace.
He took the opportunity to reject the classification of “sponsor of terrorism” that was imposed on Cuba for keeping the ELN leaders in that territory, once the talks were suspended.
#CitizensAndCitizens
Total peace ?️ Of course it’s possible! pic.twitter.com/bXUMJ20utO– Álvaro Leyva Durán (@AlvaroLeyva) August 12, 2022
#11Aug #THE N
Cuba will hold peace talks with the ELN guerrillas. This was announced by the Foreign Minister of Colombia, Álvaro Leyva. pic.twitter.com/m3GfWEXz8R
@NewsRPTV– Report Now (@ReporteYa) August 12, 2022
For his part, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez indicated that his country will continue to support the peace talks between the Government of Colombia and the ELN, together with the Kingdom of Norway. He took the opportunity to assess Leyva’s visit to Havana, because it is one of the first to be made in the Petro era.
“Cuba is a country that promotes peace, which over the years has contributed in a modest and selfless way to the search and achievement of the much-loved and necessary peace for sister Colombia,” he stressed.
In the meeting held with the president of Chile, Gabriel Boric, in past daysGustavo Petro affirmed that the protocols established in favor of the negotiations are recognized and he hopes that the countries that were guarantors in these processes can continue to be so, but first it is necessary to ask if they wish to continue playing that role.
Petro met with Rodriguez in Bogotá, where the Cuban foreign minister reiterated Havana’s “invariable commitment” to contribute to peace in Colombia. That same day, the Peace Commissioner, Daniel Rueda, revealed that the Colombian Executive is evaluating suspending the arrest warrants against the ELN leaders in order to pave the way for resuming the peace talks that were taking place in Havana.
With additional information from Swiss Info / Radio clock
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