The delegation of the National Liberation Army (ELN) for the peace dialogue said that it will unfreeze the negotiation process – hampered by various disagreements – with the Colombian Government of Gustavo Petro when he assumes office. “responsibility” in it “breach” of “old agreements”, alias Pablo Beltrán, chief negotiator of this guerrilla, stated this Saturday from Caracas.
“Let’s review the failures, the non-compliance and, based on your assumption of responsibility, we agree to unfreeze the table and have new agreements”he said in X Beltrán, when he is in meetings – which began on Tuesday and will end next Monday in Caracas – with the Petro delegation to try to direct the dialogue.
Likewise, he stated that there will be a new ceasefire when “resumes a normal cycle of operation”, for which -he indicated- The parties must get out of the freeze they are in.
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He assured that he hopes that the Petro Government “do not have two policies against the ELN”because -he said- there is a part that “obstructs and destroys” and another that builds.
Last Thursday marked two years since the resumption of peace negotiations between the ELN and the Government of Colombia. Since then, five cycles of dialogues have been held in Caracas, Mexico City and Havana.
The most important announcements were made in Cuba, in the third cycle, when even Petro and the top leader of the guerrilla, alias Antonio García, were present to announce the longest bilateral ceasefire that has been had with this armed group.
It began on August 3, 2023 for an initial six months, which after arduous negotiations Six others were extended, including even the ELN’s promise not to kidnap. But it all ended a year later with no renewal commitment.
Since Mexico, at the end of January, the two parties have not managed to hold a sixth cycle of dialogues. They met in Caracas in Maywhere they managed to sign the first point on the agenda, but the dialogue process was already going through a new crisis.
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The Government suspended negotiations after the ELN attack against an Army base in the department of Arauca, which left three soldiers dead and 30 injured.
Last Thursday, at least five soldiers were killed and four other people were injured, one of them a civilian, in an ELN attack in the municipality of Anorí, in the Colombian department of Antioquia.
EFE
