The recent tension at the dialogue table between the Colombian Government and the ELN reached a new critical point, and President Gustavo Petro launched a proposal to try to resolve the crisis unleashed with this guerrilla.
The president proposed that the different regional fronts of the ELN have a presence in the peace talks, as a measure to move towards a definitive negotiation. “It is important that this table has members from the different regional fronts of the ELN to move from dialogue to final negotiation,” declared Petro, highlighting the need for diverse representation at the dialogue table.
However, Petro assured that this proposal should not affect regional spaces for dialogue, such as the process that is being carried out in Nariño. “Without detriment to the regional dialogue to build a peaceful Nariño that has already begun, my government maintains the established national table as the setting for peace dialogues with the ELN,” stated the president.
Petro’s proposal comes at a crucial moment, just when the country awaits the holding of an extraordinary meeting between the ELN delegations and the Colombian State in Caracas, Venezuela. The meeting, originally scheduled for this Friday, has been postponed to Saturday, April 13 due to tensions at the negotiating table.
The crisis at the ELN table has lasted since February, when annoyance arose on the part of the guerrilla group due to the participation of one of its fronts, Comuneros del Sur, in the regional dialogues proposed by the governor of Nariño. Despite the efforts to overcome the impasse, the conditions on this front continue to generate tensions at the dialogue table.
Foreign Minister of Colombia confirmed that Petro only met with Manuel Rosales in Venezuela, but assured that they are not unaware of María Corina Machado’s sector
The head of state, however, assured that these difficulties will not prevent the carrying out of the dialogues proposed in Nariño. The president’s proposal seeks to offer a viable solution to advance the peace process with the ELN and overcome the obstacles that have arisen at the dialogue table.
The current tension in the peace process between the Colombian Government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) reached a critical point with the holding of an extraordinary meeting in Venezuela. This meeting aims to find solutions to the crisis that has paralyzed the dialogue process in recent weeks.
The atmosphere prior to the meeting became even more complicated after a statement issued by the guerrilla, in which the seventh cycle of dialogues scheduled for April 12 was suspended. The ELN accused the Government of not playing fair in the process, which generated a forceful response from the Executive, which called to not waste time and focus on advancing the agreed agenda.
The extraordinary meeting seeks to rebuild the negotiation, which has faced a series of obstacles since last February 20, when this guerrilla expressed its rejection of a Government initiative to dialogue in Nariño with the Comuneros del Sur front. This structure, distancing itself from the National Directorate of the ELN, expressed its interest in participating in the peace process led by President Gustavo Petro.
The tension between the illegal group and the Executive led to the postponement of the start of the seventh cycle of dialogues, until it was finally suspended according to the ELN delegation. In the midst of internal consultations, the ELN requested an extraordinary meeting before the seventh cycle to address the issue of Nariño, a novelty compared to past crises.
Despite the tense situation in Venezuela, the Government insisted on maintaining the dates of the meeting, emphasizing the importance of unblocking the peace process. The international community is attentive and willing to contribute, while the parties seek to concentrate discussions at the dialogue table to advance the agreed agenda.
The extraordinary meeting represents a crucial opportunity to overcome obstacles and move towards lasting peace in Colombia, but the path ahead remains uncertain as the parties seek to find common ground amid an increasingly complex situation. With Infobae