Colombian government, rebels resume talks in Cuba
Colombia’s government and its largest remaining rebel group are meeting this week in Cuba to resume peace talks aimed at reaching a cease-fire and resolving a conflict dating back to the 1960s
ByANDREA RODRÍGUEZ
Colombia’s government and its largest remaining rebel group are meeting this week in Cuba to resume peace talks aimed at reaching a cease-fire and resolving a conflict dating back to the 1960s
ByANDREA RODRÍGUEZ
Associated Press
May 2, 2023
HAVANA, Cuba -- Representatives of Colombia’s government and the country’s largest remaining guerrilla group met in Cuba on Tuesday to restart peace talks aimed at reaching a cease-fire and resolving a conflict dating back to the 1960s.
It is the third round of talks with the communist-inspired National Liberation Army, known as ELN, in negotiations relaunched in November shortly after President Gustavo Petro was elected as Colombia’s first leftist president.
“We encourage you to take advantage of the magic, mysticism and hope that Cuba always offers,” said Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, welcoming Colombia’s government officials and a delegation of the ELN to the capital Havana.
Pablo Beltrán, the rebels’ chief negotiator, said the ELN is committed to a “transformation” to achieve peace and called the meeting a “historic coincidence” to reach a bilateral cease-fire.
Tuesday’s meeting was marked by a surprise appearance of Nicolás Rodríguez Bautista, alias Gabino, who led the ELN from the 1990s until 2021, when he left citing health reasons.
Also in attendance were Colombian senators Iván Cepeda and María José Pizarro, who said the talks seek to find “real solutions for a country overwhelmed by six decades of war.”
Petro has said that peace talks with the ELN are a cornerstone of his plan to bring “total peace” to the nation of 50 million people, where some rural areas are still under the grip of drug gangs and rebel groups despite a 2016 peace deal with the larger Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.
May 2, 2023
HAVANA, Cuba -- Representatives of Colombia’s government and the country’s largest remaining guerrilla group met in Cuba on Tuesday to restart peace talks aimed at reaching a cease-fire and resolving a conflict dating back to the 1960s.
It is the third round of talks with the communist-inspired National Liberation Army, known as ELN, in negotiations relaunched in November shortly after President Gustavo Petro was elected as Colombia’s first leftist president.
“We encourage you to take advantage of the magic, mysticism and hope that Cuba always offers,” said Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, welcoming Colombia’s government officials and a delegation of the ELN to the capital Havana.
Pablo Beltrán, the rebels’ chief negotiator, said the ELN is committed to a “transformation” to achieve peace and called the meeting a “historic coincidence” to reach a bilateral cease-fire.
Tuesday’s meeting was marked by a surprise appearance of Nicolás Rodríguez Bautista, alias Gabino, who led the ELN from the 1990s until 2021, when he left citing health reasons.
Also in attendance were Colombian senators Iván Cepeda and María José Pizarro, who said the talks seek to find “real solutions for a country overwhelmed by six decades of war.”
Petro has said that peace talks with the ELN are a cornerstone of his plan to bring “total peace” to the nation of 50 million people, where some rural areas are still under the grip of drug gangs and rebel groups despite a 2016 peace deal with the larger Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.
By AFP
PublishedMay 2, 2023
Chief Negotiator of the Government of Colombia Jose Otty Patino (L) and Colombia's National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla commander Pablo Beltran shake hands during peace talks in Havana - Copyright AFP/File Louisa Gouliamaki
Colombia’s government and National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group on Tuesday affirmed a commitment to reaching a ceasefire agreement as they met in Havana for a third round of peace talks.
The two sides also agreed on the need for civil society to be involved in any negotiated peace.
“We have the immense responsibility together to find a way out of this ignoble war,” said Colombian senator Maria Jose Pizarro, a member of the government’s negotiating delegation in the Cuban capital.
“The best way to contribute to solutions to the conflict is to end this cycle (of talks) with an agreement for the participation of society,” Pizarro continued, “to build peace with the National Liberation Army, and the ceasefire that should have as its fundamental axis that people should not suffer.”
The peace process was launched by Colombia’s first-ever leftist President Gustavo Petro — himself a former urban guerrilla — at the end of last year.
The first round took place in Caracas in November with further talks in Mexico in March, in which the two sides committed to discussing a ceasefire.
But an ELN ambush on a military convoy in late March that left nine soldiers dead cast doubt over the resumption of talks.
“We are determined to achieve the objectives set in the Mexico cycle: a ceasefire and societal participation,” said Pablo Beltran, head of the ELN delegation.
“The sectors that have always been marginalized and exploited cannot be simple spectators in this process,” he added.
In Madrid, Petro on Tuesday said “it makes no sense to speak of peace” without a ceasefire.
He proposed what he called “regionalization of ceasefires that can gradually be extended to the national geography.”
Considered the last guerrilla group still operating in Colombia, the ELN will next year mark six decades since taking up arms against the state.
Colombia has been embroiled in a decades-long conflict involving radical leftist guerrillas, right-wing paramilitaries and drug traffickers.
All of them finance their activities through smuggling cocaine — of which Colombia is the world’s largest producer — and increasingly through illegal mining.
The ELN initially refused to join a bilateral ceasefire announced by Petro just before the new year.
Colombia has attempted many times to negotiate peace with armed groups.
The most successful example was the deal that brought about the disarmament of the powerful Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels in 2017.
According to government negotiator Otty Patino, Bogota hopes to reach a ceasefire before October regional elections.
PublishedMay 2, 2023
Chief Negotiator of the Government of Colombia Jose Otty Patino (L) and Colombia's National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla commander Pablo Beltran shake hands during peace talks in Havana - Copyright AFP/File Louisa Gouliamaki
Colombia’s government and National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group on Tuesday affirmed a commitment to reaching a ceasefire agreement as they met in Havana for a third round of peace talks.
The two sides also agreed on the need for civil society to be involved in any negotiated peace.
“We have the immense responsibility together to find a way out of this ignoble war,” said Colombian senator Maria Jose Pizarro, a member of the government’s negotiating delegation in the Cuban capital.
“The best way to contribute to solutions to the conflict is to end this cycle (of talks) with an agreement for the participation of society,” Pizarro continued, “to build peace with the National Liberation Army, and the ceasefire that should have as its fundamental axis that people should not suffer.”
The peace process was launched by Colombia’s first-ever leftist President Gustavo Petro — himself a former urban guerrilla — at the end of last year.
The first round took place in Caracas in November with further talks in Mexico in March, in which the two sides committed to discussing a ceasefire.
But an ELN ambush on a military convoy in late March that left nine soldiers dead cast doubt over the resumption of talks.
“We are determined to achieve the objectives set in the Mexico cycle: a ceasefire and societal participation,” said Pablo Beltran, head of the ELN delegation.
“The sectors that have always been marginalized and exploited cannot be simple spectators in this process,” he added.
In Madrid, Petro on Tuesday said “it makes no sense to speak of peace” without a ceasefire.
He proposed what he called “regionalization of ceasefires that can gradually be extended to the national geography.”
Considered the last guerrilla group still operating in Colombia, the ELN will next year mark six decades since taking up arms against the state.
Colombia has been embroiled in a decades-long conflict involving radical leftist guerrillas, right-wing paramilitaries and drug traffickers.
All of them finance their activities through smuggling cocaine — of which Colombia is the world’s largest producer — and increasingly through illegal mining.
The ELN initially refused to join a bilateral ceasefire announced by Petro just before the new year.
Colombia has attempted many times to negotiate peace with armed groups.
The most successful example was the deal that brought about the disarmament of the powerful Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels in 2017.
According to government negotiator Otty Patino, Bogota hopes to reach a ceasefire before October regional elections.
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