'Peace talks with Colombian govt in crisis because...': ELN guerrilla group

Colombian leftwing guerrilla group the National Liberation Army (ELN) warned on Monday (May 15) that peace talks with the government were in crisis because of the comments made by President Gustavo Petro, the news agency Reuters reported. In a statement, the ELN said, "The peace talks cannot be subject to the fluctuations in the public statements of the president." The ELN added that negotiations entered into a crisis and clarity was needed from the government.

"....clarity is needed from the government so that the path towards peace is cleared and so that we might speak in plain language to the country and the world," Monday's statement further said.

The ELN's remarks show the most recent setback to negotiations, which Colombian President Petro started last year as part of efforts to end the guerrilla group's role in the country's almost 60 years of conflict.

But the two sides failed to reach an agreement on a nationwide ceasefire during a third round of talks that began in Havana this month.

Responding to the ELN, the government said on Monday "It's imperative for us to answer to (affected) communities and establish ... a cessation of hostilities between all parties in the conflict, protection measures for civilians, and the participation of civil society as key pillars."

Earlier, President Petro proposed a regional ceasefire to ELN guerillas pointing out that peace in Colombia today was more important than anything else.

"I propose that we work seriously on a ceasefire, that they stop killing each other, and that we stop killing each other," Petro added.
Hitting back at the president, the ELN said that his comments were "stigmatising and disrespectful," and accused him of throwing into question the "entire architecture" of the peace talks.

The ELN was founded in 1964 by radical catholic priests and has 5,850 members. According to the government, the group finances itself through drug trafficking, illegal mining, and kidnapping.

Negotiations with the ELN under previous governments faltered on the group's diffuse chain of command and dissent within its ranks.

(With inputs from agencies)

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