Colombian Government and ELN Begin Peace Negotiations in Mexico

On Monday, the Government of Colombia and the National Liberation Army (ELN) began the second cycle of peace negotiations in Mexico City.

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"We are here with the impulse that President Gustavo Petro has given to peace as a State policy," said Otty Patiño, head of the Colombian government delegation at the inauguration of the dialogue, which takes place at the Inter-American Conference on Social Security (CISS).

The key point of the talks, which are expected to last for three weeks in Mexico, will be to reach an agreement for a ceasefire by both parties.

"Our agenda seeks transformations that make it possible to put an end to the armed conflict and achieve a comprehensive and lasting peace," said Pablo Beltran, head of the ELN guerrilla delegation.

In 2017, the Colombian State began peace negotiations with the ELN. The rise to the presidency of the far-right politician Ivan Duque, however, interrupted the peace process for four years.

On Nov. 22, 2022, President Gustavo Petro announced the restart of negotiations in Caracas under the auspices of Cuba, Norway and Venezuela as guarantor countries. 

Last week, Petro met with government negotiators to ask them to agree to a bilateral ceasefire as soon as possible.

Currently, Mexico, Chile, and Brazil are also guarantors of the peace talks, while Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, and Spain act as "accompanying countries."