After the murder of nine soldiers this Wednesday in Catatumbo at the hands of the National Liberation Army (ELN), President Gustavo Petro summoned the government delegation to the negotiation table with this guerrilla, as well as the guarantor countries and supporters of the peace process.
The Head of State, who expressed his repudiation for the attack on the uniformed officers, pointed out that the peace process must be serious and responsible with Colombian society.
It is important to mention that during this week another attack in the municipality of San José del Palmar, in the Chocó region (west), has also been attributed to the ELN, from which another soldier was also killed, in addition to a couple of wounded.
It should be remembered that the negotiations began in November 2022 in Caracas and in March they had a second cycle in Mexico City without reaching a ceasefire agreement.
In January, the parties experienced their most tense moment when the rebels denied being part of a bilateral truce that Petro had announced on New Year’s Eve with the country’s main armed groups.
The hostilities continued and the army constantly denounces kidnappings and attacks with explosives that leave several dead and wounded.
It should be remembered that in 2019, then-President Iván Duque suspended peace negotiations with this guerrilla due to an attack on a military school in Bogotá that left 23 dead, including the attacker, in 2019.
Former President Duque buried the talks and closed the door to new approaches until the ELN ceased hostilities against the public forces and put drug trafficking aside.
This Wednesday’s attack is the one that has left the most victims since Petro came to power in August.