Colombian Government and ELN Sign 6-Month Ceasefire Agreement
Colombia’s National Liberation Army (ELN) and the government have agreed to a six-month ceasefire after negotiations in Havana, Cuba. The temporary ceasefire will begin on August 3, according to Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez. The ELN’s chief negotiator, Pablo Beltran, thanked Cuban President Miguel Diaz Canel for his contribution to the negotiation process and emphasized the humanitarian purpose of the ceasefire. Antonio Garcia, one of the senior leaders of the ELN, also expressed his gratitude to Colombian President Gustavo Petro for trusting in the Colombian people. High Commissioner for Peace Danilo Rueda described the agreement as a historical decision, with life and freedom at the center.
This marks a significant step forward for the ELN, which suspended its peace talks with the government in 2019 after the organization’s attack on a police school killed 22 people. The parties resumed their peace talks in November 2022 under the guarantor and host of Venezuela. In May 2022, the ELN offered a national ceasefire, and the third round of talks began in Havana on May 2, with President Petro attending the final stage.
The first round of talks in December 2022 did not result in a ceasefire agreement, but the parties agreed to improve the humanitarian aid and conditions of imprisoned ELN militants in some regions. The second round in Mexico in February concluded with the recognition of the “political status of the ELN.”
President Petro, who took office in August 2022, pledged to implement the 2016 Peace Agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and to hold peace talks with the ELN. This ceasefire agreement marks a significant step in achieving his promise and reducing violence in the conflict-torn regions of Colombia.
