Pablo Beltrán, head of the ELN guerrillas, speaks with Irene Escudero in an interview with the worldwide media EFE, the place they contact on the essential problems with the peace course of carried out by this group with Petro’s authorities. Below, we reproduce a number of the most essential sections.
The Colombian authorities and the ELN have determined to place apart insults to signal the primary level of the peace agenda, the most important growth within the negotiations thus far as a result of, regardless of the essential situations of latest weeks, “the answer is to not break up.” », mentioned in an interview with EFE the primary negotiator of that bandit, Israel Ramírez, referred to as ‘Pablo Beltrán’.
It was a brief factor, agreeing to concentrate on what they agree on and depart the issues for later, and given the uncertainty of when they are going to have a good time the subsequent cycle, Beltrán asks the Government to “resolve their doubts” and “inner disagreements” to proceed transferring ahead.
QUESTION: Why is it essential that you simply signal the primary six factors on the negotiation checklist?
ANSWER: Because we agreed to design and plan methods to set up public participation in peace constructing. But neither the Government consultant nor the ELN did that; Thousands of individuals throughout Colombia did simply that. There are hundreds of thousands of phrases that appeared in these proposals and what we’ve performed this week is to gather by settlement 3,000 phrases which have been expressed by folks.
Q: But what was agreed upon just isn’t a proposal however an instance of how the group will take part within the settlement, proper?
A: It’s an inventory of subjects that needs to be mentioned, which is to say, it is not that we’re advocating for modifications. (…) This challenge and this program will set up all these ailments and the purpose is to create an agenda for peace reforms, which isn’t nearly discovering a job, however concerning the individuals who take part to seek out the dedication that that function is completed. true, as a result of with out this quantity of energy, the facility that represents the Government and the ELN is small for the key modifications which might be needed.
Question: They got here from the church buildings of discord on the desk, how did they obtain such an enormous step in that space?
ANSWER: What we’ve performed this week is a good effort to work on the factors we agree on. We know that there are nonetheless points on the desk that we should proceed to cope with, however we’re not ready. It doesn’t suggest that the issues went away; They stay in line for therapy.
Question: In the settlement signed on Saturday, they commit that they won’t depart the desk.
A: In ELN we’ve this sentence; Even if there are very severe conditions on the desk, we expect that the best way out is to not crack and that we should always keep on the desk and search for methods out of the essential elements. With that in thoughts, it was written there, with a name for conflicts to be resolved by fulfilling agreements.
Q: What’s subsequent?
ANSWER: We hope that the few points we’ve shall be opened in order that we will reschedule the assembly to handle all of the pending points: How will the engagement proceed, how will we resolve the ceasefire situation or what components do we have to broaden? anticipated to finish on August 3.
In different phrases, there’s a sturdy plan, however we mentioned: please resolve issues just like the one in Nariño (the place the Government has began negotiating with a gaggle that’s mentioned to be separate from the ELN). Because the issue is that there are authorities businesses that intend to create two tables and with ELN there can solely be one desk. On April 27, the Government delegation requested the Supreme Government to decide on and depart just one desk.
Question: Are you stunned by this request addressed to the president from the chief negotiator of the Government?
A: That occurred in Colombia; There is a sector of the Government that asks the Government to take just one strategy. (…) We will ask them to carry a congress to resolve this inner disagreement.
Q: The peace advisor commissioner, Otty Patiño, requested the ELN to carry its VI Congress as quickly as attainable (to be held in August).
A: It’s attention-grabbing as a result of I’ve been main this crew since 2015 and this time I’ve a singular authority, extra consensus throughout the ELN about what to do on the desk. I’ve little question or uncertainty about what to do right here. That is why I’m telling you, we’re giving assist to the Government in order that they’ll maintain their congress and resolve their disagreements and variations of opinion.
Question: Will you begin an inner debate within the ELN which isn’t an armed group?
A: Internal considering begins (…) ELN weapons are 6,000, however when you rely paramilitaries, gangs, households, these hundreds of thousands, then the issue of the manufacturing of weapons in Colombia could be very severe and all political forces should attain the highest. .within the coronary heart to see how we resolve that.
It isn’t just an ELN situation (…) The name for a political resolution is a two-sided coin: those that strongly oppose change should change and people of us who need change strongly should additionally change.
Q: Are there any actual probabilities of reaching an settlement within the two years that the Government is in arrears?
A: I believe so (…) We are prepared to maneuver ahead, however in the intervening time the continuing delay is because of debates throughout the Government; This implies that they need to agree extra to be able to prioritize the place to go subsequent. And so long as they do not, there shall be a slowdown within the course of.
Q: Will there be modifications within the ELN management on the VI Congress?
ANSWER: There shall be no management modifications and I guess on it one to 10.