January 2, 2023 / 1:39 p.m
Colombia’s bishops said they received President Gustavo Petro’s announcement of the ceasefire with armed groups, which will come into effect on January 1, 2023 and last six months, “with hope”.
“We have agreed with the ELN, the Segunda Marquetalia, the Central General Staff, the AGC and the Sierra Nevada Self-Defense Forces a bilateral halt from January 1 to June 30, 2023, which may be extended depending on the progress of the negotiations. ” Advertising Petro on his Twitter account on December 31st.
“Total peace is becoming a reality,” said the Colombian president and former M-19 guerrilla.
The ELN is the guerrillas of the National Liberation Army; the Segunda Marquetalia and the Central General Staff are the dissidents of the FARC guerrillas; while the AGC are the Gaitanista Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, as the Clan del Golfo is also known.
These armed groups are responsible for violence and organized crime in different parts of the country.
in one second tweet On the same day, Petro said: “The bilateral ceasefire obliges the armed organizations and the state to respect it. There will be a national and international verification mechanism. May there be peace between us. Happy New Year”.
In a statement published on January 2, the Colombian bishops reiterate that the news “encourages us to continue on the path and to accompany every possible and necessary effort to work towards a lasting peace for the beloved Colombian people in this new year.”
The prelates then point out that “although for some people and sectors living in places where the severity of the pressures of the armed conflict is not directly felt, the ceasefire announced may seem unnecessary and inconvenient”, “for those who living there In the areas with a significant presence of these armed structures, this is the beginning of a new life.”
“We trust that the positive response of the armed groups to this engagement will lead to a result drastic reduction in violence and suffering of communities affected by conflict and violence.
They also hoped that it “creates a foundation of trust to move forward decisively in the ongoing dialogues”.
After emphasizing their willingness to “accompany efforts to end the conflicts and violence in Colombia that continue to cause victims and poverty”, the bishops stressed the need “to resolve the social conflict in order to get to the root of the armed conflict to solve”.
“The advancing ceasefire is essential to the comprehensive peace that the country needs,” they said.
(Article to be continued later)
Receive our news by email
Enter your name and email address to receive ACI Prensa’s daily newsletter and occasional breaking news.
As part of this free service, you may occasionally receive offers from EWTN News and EWTN. We will never rent or sell your information and you can unsubscribe at any time.
“Jesus Christ is our peace. May he grant us the gift of atonement,” they concluded.