Gustavo Petro visited the wounded soldiers left behind by the ELN attack. Today he shakes hands with the soldiers and shakes hands with the guerrillas. Photo: Presidency
With a brief press release The National Government Peace Delegation reported that the dialogues with the ELN are suspended.
The cruelty of the terrorist attack that the guerrilla perpetrated against the military base of Puerto Jordán (Arauca) and that left as a result Two soldiers dead and 26 wounded was what led to the collapse of the peace process that had already been going on for 22 months without any real progress.
Ver:
“During these months, the Government has sent the ELN multiple proposals. Today, the dialogue process is suspended. Its viability is severely damaged, and its continuity can only be recovered with an unequivocal manifestation of the ELN’s will for peace,” they reported in the statement.
Communication to the public pic.twitter.com/n4OG08eDPq
— Peace Delegation of the Government of Colombia (@DelegacionGob) September 18, 2024
In the same text, the Peace delegation expressed its “absolute rejection” of the indiscriminate attack that violates International Humanitarian Law —they used ‘bomb cylinders’— and that, in addition to the dead and wounded soldiers, put at risk the safety of 300 students who at the time of the attack were in class in a school that is less than 900 meters from the military base.
Ver:
“We deeply regret the loss of life and the injuries suffered by members of the security forces. We share the pain of their families in the face of this new act of violence that claims the lives of young Colombians,” they added.
Reactions to the decision
Table of Contents
Although the National Government has concluded negotiations with the ELN, does not completely close the door to resuming them at some point if there is an “unequivocal manifestation of the will for peace”However, given the history of peace processes with this guerrilla group, that possibility is almost nil.
Voices from the government itself believe that it is almost impossible to restore the dialogues that, in themselves, were already fractured. One of them was the head of the Ministry of Defense, Minister Iván Velásquez.
“The current conditions, demonstrated by such serious events as the attack in Arauca by the National Liberation Army, close the space for negotiations,” indicated.
“The current conditions demonstrated by such serious events as the attack in Arauca by the National Liberation Army close the space for negotiations,” Minister @Ivan_Velasquez_ on suspension of dialogues with the ELN. pic.twitter.com/aNjRbiZv69
— Mindefense (@mindefense) September 19, 2024
Interior Minister Juan Fernando Cristo, for his part, said that it takes two to negotiate peace and they did not find the counterpart with the ELN: “The gentlemen of the ELN insist on violence without any justification. They were left behind by the train of history.” For a peace dialogue, two are needed. Today, the government has no one to talk to.”
The opposition also believes that the outlaw group never really had a commitment to peace, so the only way left for the State is to confront them and defeat them.
Ver:
“Real peace depends on the law and punishing criminals, not on secret agreements and ceasefires with thousands of violations,” expressed on her X account the senator of the Democratic Center, Paloma Valencia, one of the most critical voices of the process.
“The current conditions demonstrated by such serious events as the attack in Arauca by the National Liberation Army close the space for negotiations,” Minister @Ivan_Velasquez_ on suspension of dialogues with the ELN. pic.twitter.com/aNjRbiZv69
— Mindefense (@mindefense) September 19, 2024
They offer reward
The Government of Santander offered up to 100 million pesos for information leading to the capture of those responsible for the attack against the military canton from Puerto Jordán, while the National Army deployed troops to pursue members of the Domingo Laín Sáenz War Front of the ELN and its leader, Arturo Archila Rincón, alias ‘Raúl’ or Nacho’, to whom they attribute the terrorist act.
At the end of the Security Council in Arauca, the departmental government announced a reward of up to 100 million pesos for information leading to the location and subsequent capture of those responsible for the attack against the military canton in Puerto Jordán.
Likewise the… pic.twitter.com/fStINuSdB3
— Mindefense (@mindefense) September 19, 2024
“The sacrifice of our heroes of @COL_EJERCITO will not be in vain, We will spare no effort to find those responsible for this atrocious attack that violated human rights and international humanitarian law.” the Army expressed in its X account.
Petro visited the wounded soldiers
Accompanied by senior officers of the Armed Forces, President Gustavo Petro arrived at the Military Hospital to visit the wounded soldiers in the atrocious ELN attack against the 18th Field Artillery Battalion of Puerto Jordán (Arauquita).
In videos posted on his social media, the president is seen greeting and talking to young people who are recovering from their wounds after surviving the rain of ‘cylinder bombs’ that the guerrillas launched from a dump truck.
At the Military Hospital we visited the young people injured in the Arauca attack pic.twitter.com/RKr2LLziat
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) September 18, 2024
A few hours earlier, he had stated that the ELN had no way of taking advantage of the peace process, now suspended, to gain more territorial control in the country and, in this way, expand its military power in the territory, as the Gulf Clan has done.
“With the exception of some structures in Chocó and Cauca, (the ELN) practically It has concentrated on the Colombian-Venezuelan border and hopes that the destabilization in Venezuela can give it air (…) The key to the disappearance of these structures is the transformation of the territory. Replacing illicit economies with legal ones is the true path to peace.” said the president, as a harbinger of the suspension of dialogues with that guerrilla group.
2024-09-19 03:32:59
#fact #Government #suspends #peace #talks #ELN
What were the reasons behind the suspension of peace talks with the ELN in Colombia?
Here is a rewritten article on the topic, optimized for SEO and readability:
Colombia Suspends Peace Talks with ELN Guerrilla Group After Deadly Attack
[Header Image: President Petro visits wounded soldiers]
The Colombian government has announced the suspension of peace talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group, following a brutal attack on a military base in Arauca that left two soldiers dead and 26 wounded. The attack, which was widely condemned, has severely damaged the viability of the peace process, which had been ongoing for 22 months.
Arauca Attack: A Turning Point in the Peace Process
On [date], the ELN launched a surprise attack on the military base of Puerto Jordán in Arauca, using “bomb cylinders” that put the safety of 300 students at risk, who were in class at a nearby school. The attack resulted in two fatalities and 26 injuries among the soldiers, sparking widespread outrage and condemnation.
Government Response: Absolute Rejection of Indiscriminate Attack
In a statement, the National Government Peace Delegation expressed its “absolute rejection” of the attack, which violates International Humanitarian Law. The delegation also extended its condolences to the families of the victims, saying, “We deeply regret the loss of life and the injuries suffered by members of the security forces. We share the pain of their families in the face of this new act of violence that claims the lives of young Colombians.”
Reactions to the Decision
While the National Government has suspended negotiations with the ELN, it has not entirely closed the door to resuming talks in the future, provided there is an “unequivocal manifestation of the will for peace” from the guerrilla group. However, given the history of peace processes with the ELN, this possibility is seen as highly unlikely.
Minister of Defense Iván Velásquez has expressed reservations about the possibility of restarting negotiations, stating, “The current conditions, demonstrated by such serious events as the attack in Arauca by the National Liberation Army, close the space for negotiations.”
What’s Next for the Peace Process?
The suspension of peace talks with the ELN marks a significant setback for the Colombian government’s efforts to end decades of conflict with the guerrilla group. While the door has been left open for future negotiations, the path forward remains uncertain.
Key Takeaways
The Colombian government has suspended peace talks with the ELN following a deadly attack on a military base in Arauca.
The attack, which left two soldiers dead and 26 wounded, has severely damaged the viability of the peace process.
The government has condemned the attack, citing its violation of International Humanitarian Law.
The future of the peace process remains uncertain, with the government leaving the door open for future negotiations.
Optimized Keywords
Colombia
ELN
Peace talks
Arauca attack
Government response
International Humanitarian Law
* Peace process
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