Colombia, ELN guerrilla group postpone signing of bilateral ceasefire

By Laura Gamba

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - The delegations of the Colombian government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) postponed on Thursday the announcement of the bilateral ceasefire.

"We have requested the President, Gustavo Petro Urrego and the first commander of the National Liberation Army ELN, Antonio Garcia, one more day to carry out the closing event of the third cycle of the Peace Dialogue Table," the parties said in a statement.

The announcement has raised questions about the ongoing peace process, which has already suffered various setbacks.

On Dec. 31, Petro announced a six-month ceasefire with the ELN and other armed groups. Three days later, however, the guerrilla group denied that there was any agreement.

Since the negotiations began last year, the ELN has shown no willingness to stop its criminal actions. The group has killed several members of the military as well as four Indigenous minors who were escaping so as not to be recruited by the guerilla members. The government has been criticized for being too soft on the group.

“The document and the protocols are simply being adjusted, they have asked us for a period (of time) while that adjustment is made, but what we are very clear about is that we are moving forward,” Senator Maria Jose Pizarro, who is part of the government delegation told journalists. "Most likely it will be tomorrow," she added.

The president has announced his presence for the first time at the dialogue table in Cuba.

“In the next few hours I will be traveling to Havana to attend the closing of the third cycle of the Roundtable for Peace Dialogues,” he published on his Twitter account.

The ELN and Colombian government have completed three rounds of talks since January this year, in Caracas, Mexico City and in Havana, which began on May 2.​​​​​​​