In a significant setback to Colombia's peace efforts, the government has suspended negotiations with the National Liberation Army (ELN) following a deadly attack on a military base. The incident, which occurred on September 17, 2024, resulted in the deaths of two soldiers and left over 20 injured.
The Colombian government's peace delegation stated, "Today the dialogue process is suspended. Its viability is severely damaged, and its continuity can only be recovered with an unequivocal manifestation of the ELN's will for peace." This development marks the most severe crisis in the peace talks since their initiation in November 2022 under President Gustavo Petro's administration.
The ELN, founded in 1964 and inspired by the Cuban Revolution, is considered the last active guerrilla group in Colombia. With an estimated 6,000 fighters operating in Colombia and Venezuela, the group has been designated as a terrorist organization by Colombia, the United States, and the European Union.
According to military reports, the attack involved homemade rockets fired from a cargo truck near a base in Puerto Jordan, Arauca province. Defense Minister Iván Velásquez confirmed that 26 soldiers were wounded, with 13 remaining hospitalized in stable condition and five in intensive care.
In response to the attack, the Colombian government has announced rewards of up to $23,700 for information leading to the capture of those responsible, and up to $948,000 for the main ELN leaders. This incident echoes a 2019 ELN attack on a police school in Bogotá, which also led to the suspension of peace talks under the previous administration of Iván Duque.
The ELN has a complex history of failed peace negotiations with the Colombian government since the 1990s. The group's decentralized structure and involvement in illegal activities such as drug trafficking, kidnapping, and illegal gold mining have complicated peace efforts. Additionally, the ELN has been expanding into areas previously controlled by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which signed a peace deal with the government in 2016.
This latest setback underscores the challenges facing Colombia's "total peace" policy, aimed at resolving conflicts with various armed groups. As the situation develops, the international community watches closely, hoping for a resolution that can bring lasting peace to a region long affected by guerrilla warfare.
"Today the dialogue process is suspended. Its viability is severely damaged, and its continuity can only be recovered with an unequivocal manifestation of the ELN's will for peace."