In a significant move towards peace, the Colombian Government’s Peace Delegation recently announced the release of 26 individuals held hostage by the National Liberation Army (ELN), a self-proclaimed nationalist group in Colombia. This action is in tune with the agreements established on February 26, 2024, which the ELN’s Central Command confirmed.
This progressive step followed a period of tensions in negotiations between the ELN and the Colombian government. On February 26, amidst these challenges, the ELN expressed their decision to continue their regular negotiation cycle with the Colombian government in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
Originally, the ELN was a nationalist movement inspired by the Cuban revolution, focusing on kidnapping, extortion, and attacking oil infrastructure. However, in recent years, the ELN has gotten deeply involved in the international drug trade. With over 5,000 members—including networks of militias infiltrated among the civilian population—the ELN operates between Colombia and Venezuela, with different objectives in each country.
After holding peace negotiations with five different governments without reaching a final agreement, the ELN initiated official peace talks with the government of Colombian President Gustavo Petro in November 2022. This initiative aligns with the peace policy set by the Total Peace Law supported by Petro. The law approved the negotiation of peace agreements with organized armed groups operating outside the law to achieve a stable and lasting peace in the country.
As things stand, there is an ongoing ceasefire between the Colombian government and the ELN, which was recently extended. The International Crisis Group remarked that if this six-month bilateral ceasefire is successful, it will be the longest bilateral ceasefire ever concluded with a guerrilla group.
Find out more from the original report by JURIST here.