BOGOTÁ – The Colombian government has recognized the ELN as a “rebellious armed political organization” to advance in peace talks aimed at putting an end to nearly six decades of conflict, the guerrillas announced this Saturday (25), after a round of talks in Mexico.
“The delegations agreed on issues without which it is impossible to develop this peace process with clarity and firmness: the juridical-legal characterization of the ELN as a rebellious armed political organization with which the national government advances in peace dialogues”, highlighted the ELN in a statement posted on Twitter.
The announcement follows criticism from the National Liberation Army (ELN) of Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s “total peace” policy, which he considers puts the organization on the same level as other armed groups, including drug traffickers, to whom the government offers a process of submission to justice in exchange for legal benefits.
Antonio García, one of the group’s leaders, warned on February 6 that if the ELN continued to be considered GAO (organized armed group), the negotiations would continue at the deadlock where they were left by former president Iván Duque.
“We salute the progress made at the peace talks table between the government of the Republic of Colombia and the National Liberation Army” (…) Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, citing the statement.
The delegates also agreed to create a communication channel, which will work while the dialogues are paused, as well as the terms under which the countries that will follow the negotiations will participate. Mexico’s round began on Feb. 13 with the expectation of laying the groundwork for an eventual bilateral ceasefire, but the communiqué makes no mention of concrete advances in that regard. This issue strained the negotiations at the end of last year.
An ELN faction claimed on Saturday the death of a soldier and a policeman in actions on February 16 and 22 in the department of Norte de Santander (northeast, on the border with Venezuela). Formed in 1964, in the wake of the Cuban Revolution, the ELN is opposed to receiving the same treatment as other armed groups. The ELN reported that the delegations are also working on an agenda on issues such as “society’s participation in this peace process and the bilateral ceasefire.”
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