Published: Less than 20 min ago
The Colombian government has taken the first steps towards peace talks with the left-wing guerrilla ELN, in accordance with the election promise of newly elected President Gustavo Petros.
Representatives of the government met on Friday with members of the ELN in the Cuban capital Havana, where the rebels have their headquarters, who say they are ready for “dialogue” with the intention of “peace”. The meeting was also attended by officials from Norway, Cuba, the UN and a representative of the Catholic Church.
Previous peace talks between the government and the ELN broke down in the initial stages when former President Ivan Duque took power in 2018.
President Petro says at a press conference that the approach to the ELN is “a tentative process in looking at what was left four years ago and seeing what can be saved.”