Caracas. The ELN guerrilla declared its “commitment” to the search for a “political solution” by resuming its negotiations with the Colombian government in Caracas, in neighboring Venezuela, this weekend.
“Responding to the calls of Colombian society, the church, the international community, among others, the ELN attends this meeting in the attempt to analyze the crisis factors and begin to look for solutions that will allow us to advance in the construction of a political solution” , expressed this Sunday the representation of the National Liberation Army (ELN) on the social network X.
The delegates of this Marxist-Leninist oriented guerrilla announced on Saturday their arrival in Caracas to resume talks with the government of President Gustavo Petro, which had remained frozen since September.
The resumption of talks, in principle, was scheduled for Friday.
The peace process was suspended in September by Petro’s decision, after an ELN attack on a military base that left three soldiers dead and 28 wounded.
Amid secrecy, Colombian government delegates have not given information about the resumption of contacts.
However, last week, a statement from the Presidency cited Petro’s chief negotiator, Vera Grabe, announcing that, among other issues, “reactivating” a “ceasefire” as well as “humanitarian dynamics” would be raised.
“It is possible that not all issues will be resolved, but they will be raised for new meetings,” Grabe added in the text.
The agenda has not been disclosed.
The ELN proposed the meeting early last month to “examine the crisis” of the peace process, while denouncing violations of previous pacts with the government.
“We want to address how far the ELN wants to advance with this government,” Grabe noted.
The dialogue with the ELN has been developed in Mexico, Cuba and Venezuela. The last previous meeting in Caracas between the parties had been in May.
The ELN, in arms since 1964, intensified its offensive since the beginning of August, when it decided not to resume a truce that had been in force since 2023. The Military Forces also resumed their operations against the rebels.
Petro, Colombia’s first leftist president, is trying to defuse the six-decade armed conflict by talking to various guerrillas and criminal gangs. He faces criticism from the opposition, which denounces a deterioration in public security.
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