New round of peace talks between Colombia, ELN starts in Caracas
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The first peace talks were hosted in 2016 but halted two years later.
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Negotiator for the Colombian government, Ivan Cepeda, center, points during the start of the fourth cycle of peace talks with the Colombian guerrilla National Liberation Army (ELN), at the Aquiles Nazoa Cultural Center in Caracas, Venezuela, Aug. 14, 2023 (AP)
The fourth round of peace talks between the Colombian authorities and the National Liberation Army (ELN) rebels kicked off in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas on Monday.
"On behalf of the people and government of Venezuela, I heartily welcome the delegations of Colombia and the National Liberation Army, [as well as] guarantor states of the peace process," Venezuelan General Carlos Eduardo Martinez said at the launch.
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Over the past half a century, the country has been facing recurring clashes between the government and various leftist guerilla forces, forcing thousands to be killed and millions to be displaced.
The first peace talks were hosted in 2016 but halted two years later.
In 2022, they were revived when Gustavo Petro became the country's President.
Petro himself was a former member of another guerilla group, the M-19.
He became the first leftist to win the presidency in Colombia on the vow that he would bring "total peace."
On June 10, the Colombian government and the ELN guerrilla group agreed to a six-month ceasefire in the Cuban capital, Havana, as they worked toward a peace deal to end decades of bloody conflict.
On August 3, the ceasefire between entered into force.
The ceasefire will last until February 2023 if not broken, having been the result of peace talks that restarted last year in a bid to rid the country of the conflict that has so far claimed the lives of at least 450,000 people.
"The ELN central command orders all units to suspend offensive operations against the armed forces, police, and security organizations of the Colombian state," ELN commander Eliecer Herlinto Chamorro said.
Read more: Colombia, ELN six-month ceasefire deal goes into effect
