Colombia’s National Liberation Army, or ELN, said it would cease its military activities for five days during the weekend of May 27, when presidential elections are held in the country, to facilitate the participation of citizens.
“The ELN will cease military activities from zero hours on May 25 to twenty-four (hours) on the 29th to contribute to favorable conditions that allow Colombian society to express themselves in the elections,” the group announced.
The statement was published in a letter titled “Some cease fire and others do not” in the latest edition of Insurrection magazine, released May 14, and reposted on the group’s Twitter account.
In the letter the ELN stated that it “hopes that this spirit of conciliation of the ELN, is answered with similar behavior” by the government.
Colombia will go to the polls to elect a new President on May 27, while a second round will be held in June if no candidate obtains more than 50 percent of votes.
The fifth round of peace talks between the insurgent group and the Colombian government was resumed on May 10, 2018, 20 days before the presidential elections.
Colombian senator Iván Cepeda said it was imperative that the next president guarantee the continuity of the dialogues that are currently taking place in Havana, Cuba, because it is the only way to achieve peace.
The ELN delegation said they were ready to continue the peace process as they await a response from the Santos government.
(Granma)