Colombian government delegates discuss various initiatives during peace talks with the ELN in Mexico. Photo: Twitter/@ComisionadoPaz.
This Saturday, February 25, the Colombian government announced that it would recognize the National Liberation Army (ELN) as a “rebel armed political organization,” marking a step forward in peace negotiations aimed at concluding six decades of civil war in the South American country.
The announcement was issued through a statement after the second cycle of dialogues between the Colombian government and the ELN in Mexico. The statement also shows the achievements made to this date between the involved parties.
“The delegations came to an agreement on an issue without which it would be impossible to clearly and firmly advance in this peace process: the legal characterization of the ELN as an armed rebel political organization with which the national government is conducting peace talks,” read a statement released by the ELN on social media platforms.
Second Round of Peace Talks: ELN Delegation Already in Mexico
In addition, both parties agreed to the establishment of a communication liaison for the ELN delegation that will manage negotiations between rounds of talks.
Chile, Venezuela, Norway, Mexico, and Brazil participated in this second round as guarantor countries. The ELN announced that they are working on an agenda to proceed with negotiating issues such as “the participation of the people in the ceasefire and this peace process,” an issue that has remained unresolved since the first round of peace talks carried out in Venezuela.
#Atención 🚨| Comunicado #5 de la Mesa de Diálogos de Paz entre el Gobierno de la República de Colombia y el Ejército de Liberación Nacional – ELN: Primeros Avances en el Segundo Ciclo pic.twitter.com/r75pOzp2q5
— Alto Comisionado Paz (@ComisionadoPaz) February 25, 2023
Other issues
In addition to first issue, the board responded to complaints filed by both delegations, most of them regarding human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law that have occurred in Colombia.
The delegations of the Colombian government and the ELN were visited by the minister of justice, Néstor lván Osuna, the first high-ranking official of the Colombian State to attend these peace negotiations.
Osuna explained in the plenary session the bill drafted for the implementation of the prison and penitentiary policy.
Special Meeting of Colombia Government and ELN in Caracas Ends, Peace Talks to Continue in Mexico
Furthermore, the minister reiterated his continued commitment to managing the agreed upon humanitarian relief for political prisoners of the ELN.
The involved parties indicated that delegations are currently working on the definition of the Agenda for Dialogue, an agreement that would make it possible to guarantee the participation of the people in this bilateral peace and ceasefire process.
Through these initiatives, the delegations advanced the definition of a shared vision for the peace process and a methodology to develop a joint agenda.
(RedRadioVE) by Dubraska Esteves
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/KZ
