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the guerrilla National Liberation Army (ELN) announced this Tuesday that it does not join the bilateral ceasefire announced on the night of December 31 by the Colombian president, Gustavo Petrosince “there is still no agreement on this matter” and they do not accept “as an agreement a unilateral decree of the Government.”
“On various occasions we have pointed out that the THE N it only complies with what is discussed and agreed upon at the Dialogue Table where we participate (in reference to the negotiations that are taking place in Caracas)”, secured the THE N in a communiqué dated January 1 released today by that guerrilla.
SIGHT: Gustavo Petro agrees to a ceasefire with the 5 main armed groups in Colombia
In the statement, the ELN insisted that its delegation for the peace negotiations “has not discussed with the government of Gustavo Petro any proposal for a bilateral ceasefire.” and that in the last cycle of dialogues, which ended on December 12 in the Venezuelan capital, “only what was announced regarding the institutionalization of the Table” and the beginning of “adjustments to the agenda” were agreed upon.
In this sense, the warfare He added that during the next cycle, which will take place this month in Mexico, the negotiation agenda will be finalized and once this step is concluded they will be “in a position to discuss the proposal for bilateral ceasefireto examine the terms that make an agreement possible”.
SIGHT: The ELN guerrillas announce a truce in Colombia during Christmas
“We understand the government decree as a proposal to be examined in the next cycle”concluded the guerrilla communiqué.
The THE N had announced on December 19 a “unilateral ceasefire” that was in force from December 24 to January 2 “to create an atmosphere of peace on these dates” of Christmas and New Year.
FIRST RESPONSE TO THE BILATERAL CEASE-FIRE
the ELN is the first of the five illegal armed groups included by Petro in the bilateral ceasefire to rule on that announcement by the president, made late on December 31, 2022 and which generated enthusiasm and hope in Colombia, but was received with caution.
The Ceasefirelasting six months – until June 30, it will be “extendable depending on the progress in the negotiations,” Petro said shortly before midnight on December 31.
The groups that, according to Petro, joined the bilateral ceasefire, in addition to the ELN are the Central Staff of the FARC dissidents, the Segunda Marquetalia, the Gaitanista Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AGC) and the paramilitaries of Sierra Nevada.
According to the information provided by the Presidency, the bilateral cessation will have national and international verification by the UN Verification Mission, the Mission to Support the Peace Process of the Organization of American States (MAPP/OEA), the Ombudsman’s Office and the Catholic Church.
At the moment, “a ceasefire with other organizations is not contemplated,” added the Colombian Presidency, but the Government will review the results of the processes underway and other unilateral ceasefires to make future decisions.
Both the UN Verification Mission and the MAPP/OEA and the Catholic Church expressed their support for the ceasefire and their willingness to collaborate.
Source: Elcomercio
I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.
