“Shortening death will always be good; Reducing death in this country will always be a path, we will always prevail in that effort”, Head of State.
The President of the Republic, Gustavo Petro, announced this Friday, June 2, the installation of a peace talks table between his Government and young members of gangs from the neighborhoods of Medellín and the Aburrá Valley.
“Shortening death will always be good; Reducing death in this country will always be a way, we will always prevail in that effort. Today the Dialogue Table opens in the Itagüí prison to achieve peace among the youth of the communes of Medellín”, highlighted the president.
During his speech at the promotion ceremony of the National Army, at the José María Córdova Military Cadet School in Bogotá, the head of state assured that his desire is to “get these communes to abandon this reality that has stained this city with blood already Colombia”.
President Petro acknowledged that this is an “unprecedented process” in the country and that “it will not be easy at all.” “We will advance one step, we will go back two, what seemed to be issues without difficulty will have difficulties, but the guideline has been given and it is to achieve Total Peace,” he said.
“It begins an unprecedented process, in which we do not have much experience, where the neighborhood youth of Colombia who have no options, can live well; that they can be included in society, that they can study, do the careers of their dreams and live in a dignified place”, he continued.
The act of installation of the Socio-legal Conversation Space between the National Government and the Organized Armed Structures of Medellín and the Aburrá Valley, took place in the La Paz de Itagüí prison and was directed by the High Commissioner for Peace, Danilo Rueda.
“We will see where these conversations will develop, but what we want is to see young people in peace, growing together and supporting each other,” the president emphasized.
The event took place -according to a statement- after months of exploratory approaches and trust-building, and its objective is to “build a comprehensive, stable and lasting urban peace, which will lay the foundations for achieving a better life for the population ”.
The process that was installed this Friday has as its central criterion for decision-making respect for the rights of the communities affected by violence and the definition of guarantees of non-repetition”, highlighted, in turn, the High Commissioner for Peace .