Colombia Halts Peace Talks with ELN After Deadly Attack
The Colombian government has made the difficult decision to call off peace talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrillas after a recent attack resulted in the tragic deaths of two soldiers and left over two dozen others injured. This news comes as a devastating blow to President Gustavo Petro’s efforts to achieve total peace in the country by removing the ELN from the long-standing internal armed conflict.
The government’s peace delegation expressed their disappointment in a statement, stating that the peace process is now on hold and its future is uncertain. They emphasized that any continuation of the talks with the ELN will require a clear and unequivocal commitment to peace from the guerrilla group.
Negotiations with the ELN were reinitiated at the end of 2022 and had seen some progress with six rounds of talks held in various locations including Mexico, Cuba, and Venezuela. However, the recent attack in Colombia’s Arauca province, near the Venezuelan border, has forced a pause in the dialogue.
The road to peace in Colombia continues to be fraught with challenges, but the government remains committed to finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
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