BOGOTA —
The Guerrilla National Liberation Army announced a 10-day unilateral ceasefire on Monday presidential elections in Colombia, although she made it clear that she would defend herself if attacked.
Colombians will vote to elect their next president on May 29, but the ELN ceasefire begins on May 25 and runs until June 3.
The ELN, believed to be the last active guerrilla in Colombia and formed in the 1960s, said it was ready to resume peace talks with whoever became president, according to a statement published on its website.
“A peace process with the ELN is the best opportunity to address priority issues facing the country, such as corruption, the killings of society leaders and drug trafficking,” the ELN said.
Current President Iván Duque suspended peace talks with this guerrilla in January 2019 after an attack on a police academy that detonated a car bomb that killed 22 cadets. Since then, Duque has demanded that they cease the attacks and hand over the hostages he is holding to resume dialogue.
Defense Minister Diego Molano assured that it will be the state security forces that will guarantee calm in the presidential elections and not the ELN ceasefire. “Don’t make them think they can do this with Colombians because they intend to create fear, violence and drug terrorism,” Molano added during a security event in Bogotá.
Opinions among the presidential candidates are divided. Leftist Gustavo Petro, who is leading the polls, proposes resuming talks with the guerrillas and “collectively bringing to justice” other criminal gangs.
Meanwhile, right-wing candidate Federico Gutiérrez has said that before sitting down at the negotiating table, he will continue to demand that the ELN “wants peace”, end drug trafficking and end kidnappings and attacks on civilians and police.
In the middle is independent candidate Rodolfo Hernández, who would urge the ELN to honor the peace accords signed back in 2016 between the state and the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
The ELN was formed in 1965 as a political project inspired by the Cuban Revolution and currently has about 2,500 fighters.
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