The Colombian National Liberation Army (ELN) considers it an “outrage” that the US includes Cuba on the list of countries that sponsor international terrorism for hosting its representatives in the peace negotiations with the Government of Colombia.
In an exclusive interview with Efe in Havana, the ELN negotiator, Israel Ramírez Pineda, alias “Pablo Beltrán”, believes it is unfair that Washington penalizes Cuba.
“It’s a double hit. Because Cuba defended the protocol that we signed with the Colombian State with five witness countries,” said Beltrán, one of the top leaders of the largest active guerrilla group in Colombia.
In his opinion, it is a “dismal precedent” that a nation is “persecuted” and suffers reprisals “for defending an international agreement” and complying with “international law.”
“For us, the fact that Cuba maintains its State policy of support for peace in Colombia is an example and we appreciate it,” said Beltrán, who has lived on the island for five years.
The guerrilla chief assured that the ELN has learned as a result of this decision by the administration of Republican President Donald Trump (2017-2021) that his successor, Democrat Joe Biden, has not reversed.
“We have learned this lesson: the guarantor countries have to have a State policy that does not change with each government, because if they are not guarantors for us,” he said.
Last August, Colombian Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva rejected this designation as a country sponsor of terrorism for Cuba.
The arrival of Gustavo Petro to the Presidency of Colombia reactivated the peace negotiations with the ELN, which could formally begin in “weeks”, according to Beltrán.
The talks were paralyzed in 2019, after barely a year of contacts, by decision of Petro’s predecessor, Iván Duque, as a result of the ELN attack against the Cadet School in Bogotá, which left 22 dead and 68 wounded.
Last August, the Colombian government and the ELN announced after a meeting in Havana the resumption of peace negotiations.