Peace talks with Colombia Government in crisis, ELN rebels say
Bogota, Colombia Reuters Peace talks between the Colombian Government and National Liberation Army (ELN) rebels are in crisis, the guerrilla group said, while the government accused the rebels of dragging out the process. The two sides restarted talks in 2022 as part of President Gustavo Petro’s bid to reach “total peace” between the government and […]
Colombia’s ELN would respond with force to any break in ceasefire, says leader
Bogota, Colombia Reuters Colombia’s National Liberation Army rebels will respond with military force to any break in their ceasefire with the government, leader Antonio Garcia told Reuters, predicting that the current stage of peace talks will end in 2025. President Gustavo Petro restarted negotiations with the group, founded in 1964 by radical Catholic priests, as […]
Colombia and ELN rebels extend ceasefire by six months, agree to set up fund
Bogota, Colombia/Havana, Cuba Reuters Colombia’s government and National Liberation Army (ELN) rebels have extended their bilateral ceasefire for another six months starting Tuesday, the same day they announced the creation of a fund backed by multiple donors to finance the process. An initial six-month ceasefire expired last week and was then extended by five days. […]
Colombia ELN guerrillas free kidnapped father of Liverpool soccer star Diaz
Bogota, ColombiaReuters Colombia’s National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrillas on Thursday freed the father of Liverpool soccer player Luis Diaz, after taking him hostage nearly two weeks ago, the government said. The kidnapping of Luis Manuel Diaz has disrupted the government’s peace talks with the ELN, which restarted last year in the hope of ending the […]
Colombia, ELN rebels start six-month ceasefire
Bogota, ColombiaReuters A six-month ceasefire between Colombia’s government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) rebel group began on Thursday, representing the most solid progress to date for President Gustavo Petro’s ambitious plans to end the country’s 60-year conflict. The ceasefire, set to run until the end of January, 2024, is the product of ongoing peace […]
Searching for the disappeared must be priority at Colombia peace talks -official
Bogota, Colombia Reuters The search for tens of thousands of people who were disappeared during Colombia’s six-decade conflict must be a priority at peace and surrender talks with rebel groups and crime gangs, the top official tasked with finding them said on Wednesday. At least 104,600 people have been forcibly disappeared in connection with Colombia’s […]
Colombian armed groups and gangs have 17,600 members, intelligence reports find
Bogota, Colombia Reuters More than 17,600 people are members of the four major armed groups and 23 gangs with which the Colombian Government hopes to reach peace or surrender deals, two security agency reports seen by Reuters show. The newly updated figures, which have not been reported before, are an effort to understand the current […]
Violence in Colombia falls in first month of ceasefire
Bogota, Colombia Reuters Colombia’s ceasefire with four armed groups has led to significant reductions in violence during its first month, Interior Minister Alfonso Prada said on Monday, with fewer murders and attacks on armed forces. Leftist President Gustavo Petro has promised to seek either peace deals or surrender agreements with armed groups to end nearly […]
Colombia ELN leftist guerrilla group declares Christmas ceasefire
Bogota, ColombiaReuters Colombian leftist guerrilla group the National Liberation Army (ELN) on Monday declared a nine-day unilateral ceasefire over the Christmas period, as part of a bid to support peace talks with the Andean country’s government, which urged other illegal armed groups to follow suit. Colombia’s government and the ELN last week completed the first […]
Colombia killings of social leaders, rights defenders hit new high
Bogota, ColombiaReuters Colombia will end the year with at least 199 killings of social leaders and human rights defenders, the highest level recorded, due to attacks by illegal armed groups in areas tied to the drug trade, the country’s human rights ombudsman said on Wednesday. In the first eleven months of the year, 199 people […]