The third round of peace negotiations between the Colombian government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group ended Friday with an agreement on a cease-fire, the main point on the agenda in talks in Havana.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro and ELN top commander Antonio Garcia signed the agreement after several failed attempts to reach an agreement.
When will it take effect?
On July 6, offensive operations will cease following a preparatory process that will take place from June 9 to July 5. The official national cease-fire will take effect Aug. 3 and last six months.
How far along and how far to go?
The parties have completed three rounds of talks since January. The talks began in Caracas, Venezuela with the second round in Mexico City. The third round in Havana began May 2. The next round will be in September in Venezuela.
The peace process has suffered various setbacks, including Petro´s announcement Dec. 31 of a six-month cease-fire with the ELN and other armed groups — a claim that was denied by the guerrilla group.
Who will monitor the process?
The agreement will be closely monitored and verified by the UN, Catholic Church, guarantor countries and civil society delegates.
What does agreement include?
Although the deal suspends hostilities between military forces and the ELN, it does not halt criminal actions by the guerrillas such as extortion and kidnapping.
ELN chief negotiator Pablo Beltran said Friday that the guerrillas’ “finance operations” will be maintained “for now” and for kidnappings, or ‘retentions’ as they are called by the ELN, “if they are not necessary, they will not happen.”
The government has not commented on that issue, which has generated controversy among leaders in Colombia’s regions, who said excluding those behaviors from the agreement will increase criminal activity.
Petro said he plans to end the decades-long war with the ELN in May 2025.
Source: Anadolu Agency