Colombia’s ELN guerrilla slams claims they have agreed to a ceasefire | CPT PPP Coverage

Colombia’s largest remaining guerrilla group has said that contrary to government claims, they had not agreed to a national ceasefire. President Gustavo Petro on New Year’s Eve had announced that a six-month truce has been reached with the country’s five largest armed groups. But the latest statement from the guerrilla group comes as a setback to the Andean nation looking for peace after decades of violence.

On Tuesday the National Liberation Army (ELN) said that they weren’t consulted on any such ceasefire plan. 

“The ELN Dialogue Delegation has not discussed any bilateral ceasefire with the Gustavo Petro government, therefore no such agreement exists,” the guerrillas said in a statement.

Colombia has been witnessing a violent period for over six decades and Petro had promised the people to usher in “total peace” in the country. After assuming office in August 2022, he had said promised to bring the armed groups to the negotiating table. 

In the last six decades, an estimated 450,000 Colombians have lost their lives and eight million have been displaced. The country’s biggest rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, was removed following a 2016 peace agreement. However, the country still has smaller, less ideological organisations.

Petro, a former rebel, had called the ceasefire a “bold act” that would initially last six months. He had said that national and international mechanisms will monitor the truce’s progress.

“This whole fiasco demonstrates how improvised many of the government’s announcements are, declaring things without thinking them through with all the relevant stakeholders,” Sergio Guzmán, director of Colombia Risk Analysis, told Guardian.

Petro began peace talks with ELN in November, but things don’t seem to look too positive. Around ten thousand combatants are reportedly spread out across the several competing armed groups and fighting to control of lucrative drug trafficking routes and gold mining regions.

The announcement by the ELN also sends a message that negotiating with the group might not be easy.

(With inputs from agencies)

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