The ELN denies agreement with the Colombian government for a bilateral ceasefire

The Colombian guerrilla Army of National Liberation (ELN) denied on Tuesday that there is a bilateral agreement for a ceasefire with the Government of Colombia, as announced the administration of the president Gustavo Petro on December 31.

The delegation for the guerrilla talks stated, through a statementthat the matter has not been discussed nor is there any proposal in this regard.

“On various occasions we have indicated that the ELN only complies with what is discussed and agreed upon at the Dialogue Table where we participate. A unilateral government decree cannot be accepted as an agreement,” the text states.

Regarding the controversy, the chief negotiator of the Colombian government, Otty Patiño, confirmed through a letter that the declaration by the Petro administration sought to “shorten the times of armed negotiation and stimulate the spaces for political negotiation to the maximum.” ”.

He clarified that, as chief negotiator, it is up to him to interpret the call as an “order from the president to stop the killing and to be able to hear the silenced voice of the communities” and that the government’s proposal “is the first step for a new understanding, a new future”.

He even pointed out that he “celebrates” the fact that the ELN is examining “the terms” of that possibility of putting an end to the fire during the next negotiation cycle.

some progress

The government and ELN negotiators culminated on December 12 their first cycle of dialogues and they announced that they will have Mexico as their new headquarters next year.

The delegation of the guerrilla group stated in the communiqué that during this period “only what was announced regarding the institutionalization of the Table was agreed upon and adjustments to the Agenda began to be made, which were taken to consultations, both with the president and with the Central Command. ”.

In addition, they indicated that once they conclude what was planned, they will be in a “disposition to discuss the proposal for a bilateral ceasefire, to examine the terms that make an agreement possible.”

In this way, they affirm that they understand the government decree as “a proposal to be examined in the next cycle.”

Before the New Year, the Colombian presidency reported that the declaration of a bilateral ceasefire it included five armed groups, including the ELN, and it would last six months, effective from January 1 to June 30.

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