“Cuba has been patient and prudent. We hope that, at some point, the will to achieve peace, the legitimate interest and self-determination of the Colombian people, reason and good sense will prevail,” stated the Cuban Foreign Ministry (Minrex) in a recent statement, clarifying the facts surrounding information the Cuban Embassy in Colombia’s received – the veracity of which could not be evaluated – regarding a supposed military attack by the ELN’s Eastern War Front, to be carried out in coming days in the city of Bogota.

Minrex specifies that the ELN (National Liberation Army) Peace Delegation in Havana was immediately advised, and expressed total ignorance of the situation, reiterating that it had no involvement in the military decisions or operations of the organization.

Faced with information of this nature, involving a possible event that could put the lives of innocent people at risk, the Cuban Ambassador in Colombia, José Luis Ponce, was immediately instructed and requested, on Saturday, February 6, at 7:49 pm, an interview with Colombian Foreign Minister Claudia Blum, or a designated official, to convey sensitive, urgent information about a possible attack in Colombia.

At 8:39 pm, contact was made with Deputy Chancellor Francisco Echeverry, although due to the fact that he was outside the capital, the information was conveyed only via telephone, for which he expressed his gratitude. During the call, despite Cuba’s manifest interest in holding a meeting immediately, Echeverry scheduled a meeting for the two on Monday, February 8, at 10:00 am.

By decision of Colombian authorities, the meeting finally took place at 5:15 pm on Monday, when the Cuban Ambassador delivered to the Deputy Chancellor a memorandum containing the information that had been sent to our embassy.

The Cuban Foreign Ministry points out, “We then observed with surprise that a security matter, of the greatest sensitivity, treated with the utmost discretion and urgency by our country, was immediately made available to the media. Twenty-five minutes after Cuba delivered the memorandum, the Colombian press was using the information and publishing a copy of the document itself.”

On Thursday, February 11, at 6:30 pm, our ambassador in Bogota was finally received by the Colombian Foreign Minister and other high-ranking officials of the Colombian state. Three days earlier, on February 8 at 8:00 pm, the High Commissioner for Peace, in a statement to the press, had used this sensitive information, a security issue, as a pretext to attack Cuba based on false assumptions, with the usual hostility and focus that only aggravate the differences between the two governments and damage the participation of international actors in the peace process.

Cuba does not know whether Colombian authorities proceeded to conduct any investigation, quickly discarded the information, or were already aware of it.

The Cuban position on the Colombian government’s demand that members of the ELN Peace Delegation who remain in Havana be extradited, under the responsibility of the Colombian state, has been established and reported in private and also through official, public channels. Cuba will rigorously fulfill its obligation, as a guarantor and the venue of the Peace Talks, to guarantee the safe return of the ELN Peace Delegation, established in the Protocol of Rupture during the negotiations, agreed upon and signed by the Colombian state and the ELN, along with six states, on April 5, 2016. As the Colombian government is aware, this position has broad support from the international community, which has made direct contact with the Colombian government calling for its implementation.

Constantly demanding that Cuba violate the signed agreement is a violation of international law. “Our country will maintain unchanged its rigorous and discreet action, firmly adhering to principles and demonstrated over decades of participation in peace efforts in Colombia. We reaffirm our willingness and commitment to continue cooperating with sectors committed to the search for a negotiated resolution of the Colombian armed conflict to achieve peace,” reads the Minrex statement, published February 13.

This document reiterates Cuba’s concern regarding Colombian authorities’ non-compliance and unilateral attempts to modify the Peace Agreement with the FARC-EP, as well as the growing number of murders and massacres of former guerrilla members, social leaders and human rights defenders in Colombia.

(Taken from Granma)

Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba

The Embassy of Cuba in Colombia received information -whose credibility could not be assessed- in relation to an alleged military attack by the Oriental War Front of the ELN that would take place in the course of the next few days in Bogotá.

The ELN’s Peace Delegation in Havana was immediately advised of said information.  The ELN’s Peace Delegation claimed it was completely unaware of it and provided reiterated assurances that it had absolutely no involvement in the military decisions or operations of the organization.

Given the nature of such information, related to a possible action that might jeopardize the life of innocent persons, the Cuban ambassador, José Luis Ponce, immediately received instructions.  Consequently, he requested, on Saturday, February 6, at 07:49 p.m., a meeting with the Colombian Foreign Minister, Claudia Blum, or any designated official to convey this sensitive and urgent information about a possible attack in Colombia.

At 08:39 p.m., the Cuban ambassador managed to contact Deputy Foreign Minister Francisco Echeverry, but since he was out of the capital he could only received advance information by phone, which he appreciated.  During that phone call, despite our express interest in having a meeting immediately, the Deputy Foreign Minister scheduled a meeting with the Cuban ambassador for Monday, February 8, at 10:00 a.m.

The meeting, due to a decision adopted by the Colombian authorities, was finally held at 05:15 pm on that same Monday, during which the Cuban ambassador handed over to the Deputy Foreign Minister a Memorandum that contained the information that had been spontaneously relayed to our embassy.

At that moment we realized, to our surprise, that a highly sensitive security issue, which was dealt with utmost discretion and urgency by our country, had been immediately disclosed to the media. Twenty five minutes after Cuba had submitted the Memorandum, the Colombian media was already using the information and had published a copy of the very document.

On Thursday, February 11, at 06:30 p.m., our ambassador in Bogotá was finally received by the Foreign Minister and other high officials of the Colombian government.

Three days before, on February 8, at 08:00 a.m. the High Commissioner for Peace, in a press release, had used this sensitive information about a security issue as a pretext to attack Cuba based on mendacious allegations, with the usual hostility and approach that only tend to kindle the differences between both governments and hamper the participation of international actors in the peace process.

Cuba ignores whether the Colombian authorities proceeded to carry out any investigation; quickly disregarded the information or already knew about it.

Cuba’s stand regarding the Colombian government demands that Cuba extradites the ELN’s Peace Delegation members who remain in Havana, of which Colombia is responsible, has been established and informed in private and also through official and public channels.

Cuba will strictly abide by its obligation, as Guarantor and venue of the Peace Dialogue, to guarantee the safe return of the ELN’s Peace Delegation, as established under the Breakup Protocol of said negotiations that was agreed upon and signed by the Colombian government, the ELN and six other States on April 5, 2016. As the Colombian government is aware of, such stand enjoys the broadest support from the international community, which has engaged in direct negotiations with the Colombian government in favor of its implementation.

Cuba is being continuously challenged to violate the agreements that were signed, and that is contrary to International Law.

Our country will invariably uphold a rigorous and discreet behavior, firmly adhering to principles, as has been demonstrated after decades of participating in efforts to bring peace to Colombia.  We reaffirm our willingness and commitment to continue cooperating with those sectors that are committed to find a negotiated solution to the Colombian armed conflict in order to achieve peace.

In this regard, we reiterate our concerns over non-compliance and unilateral attempts to modify the Peace Agreements signed with FARC-EP, as well as the increasing number of murders and massacres of ex guerrilla members, social leaders and human rights defenders in Colombia.

Cuba has been patient and prudent.  We expect that, at some point, the will for peace; the legitimate interests and free determination of the Colombian people as well as good sense and reason shall prevail.

Havana, February 13, 2021.

Iván Cepeda Castro is a man of principle who has dreams and takes action for the good of his country, as a citizen and a political leader.

As a House Representative (2010-2014) and Senator (2014-2018 and 2018-2022) for the Alternative Democratic Pole, he served between 2012 and 2016 as the facilitator of peace talks between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP) and held a similar responsibility in the dialogue between the Colombian executive and the National Liberation Army (ELN) between 2014 and 2018.

His opinions acquire special relevance in an effort to understand more deeply a number of issues related to the peace process in his nation. He kindly responded to Granma’s questions on current Colombian politics, of notable regional and global interest, taking as a starting point his assessment of Cuba’s role during the talks between his country’s executive and the FARC-EP.

“In each and every circumstance, Cuba’s role was fundamental, decisive, and indispensable, because it created the necessary environment and context for the talks. A role that was especially cautious, respectful at all times of the Colombian state and its government and, of course, also of FARC-EP the delegation. The role of guarantor has been carried out with scrupulous care to avoid crossing the line and beginning to intervene in the talks, attempt to guide them, or deny the independence that each of the parties must have.

“Cuba’s work as guarantor was impeccable, both in contributing to the solution of problems inherent to the talks, facilitating the dialogue, fundamentally the rapprochements at the most difficult moments of the debate that took place at the negotiating table; as well as at the most critical moments, when events outside the talks, the dynamics of the confrontation that continued in the country and another series of issues, such as the fierce opposition of sectors that were not supportive of the dialogue, arose in Colombia.

“In all those tense moments, in all those moments of difficulty in which the talks were in serious danger, Cuba’s work and that of Norway was decisive; both teams of guarantors were focused, precisely, on seeking to resolve the problems. This has also been the case in the implementation of the agreement, in which Cuba – along with Norway and also the United Nations Verification Mission – has played a central role.”

More recently, Cuba also played the role of guarantor in the peace dialogue between the Colombian government and the ELN. What is your opinion of Cuba’s role in this process?

-Cuba has also been fundamental in the dialogue process that has taken place in relation to the ELN. A process which has allowed, for the first time in the history of rapprochement with the ELN, the establishment of a negotiations agenda and beginning the development of points on that agenda.

Unfortunately, the current Colombian government has not shown an attitude congruent with such an effort. It has ignored the role of Cuba as a guarantor country in this context, ignoring the Rupture Protocol that had been adopted and denying, not only the specific role of Cuba as a guarantor country, but also the role of guarantors in general in any peace process.

The attitude of the Colombian government toward these talks, and toward the specific episode regarding this protocol, is an attack, an aggression against the principle of legality of peace talks in any circumstance.

Additionally, some voices in the current Colombian government have launched a series of hostile actions against Cuba

-The government has not only ignored the debt of recognition and gratitude Colombia owes Cuba, given its contribution to the peace process but has also taken an openly hostile attitude toward Cuba’s role in the international arena and, in particular, with regard to peace in Colombia.

This is part of a conception of international relations that this government has developed, totally spineless, absolutely subordinated to the interests of a radical and extremist sector of the White House policy-makers today and that fundamentally obeys the electoral dynamics and the debts that Donald Trump has with a Republican political sector in the state of Florida.

This is what, unfortunately, has led Colombia to assume the sad role of a kind of battering ram in support of U.S. policy toward Cuba, Venezuela and the region in general.

In this sense, among the latest events in your country is the arrival on Colombian soil of the U.S. Security Force Assistance Brigade.

-Colombia has become the platform and the laboratory of the current U.S. government’s aggression policy toward countries in the region. It is evident that it is serving as the lead government in the policy of aggression toward Venezuela and Cuba. We are now witnessing what is called military intervention” by invitation,” that is, the presence of an elite brigade of the U.S. Army Southern Command in our territory, which could easily lead to an international confrontation of a multinational nature, in which not only would Colombia and the U.S. military forces be involved against Venezuela, but also, eventually, in a confrontation with other world powers such as China and Russia. It is clear that this policy is highly dangerous and the current Colombian government is participating in its implementation.

You and other legislators questioned the work of the High Commissioner for Peace, Miguel Ceballos during a Political Control hearing in the Senate’s Second Committee, at the beginning of June. Can you give us more details on this Congressional hearing?

-We argued in the Political Control debate that High Commissioner Miguel Ceballos has radically transformed the responsibility he has in the government. He should be the official in charge of peace policy and we see that all his efforts have been directed precisely in the opposite direction: in generating obstacles, difficulties and problems to make implementation of the signed Peace Agreement practically impossible and also in preventing the establishment of a peace process with the ELN and, within that arena, of course, contributing to the aggression against Cuba. In particular, having actively promoted, as he himself acknowledges, the inclusion of Cuba on the list of those designated by the United States as countries that do not cooperate in fighting terrorism.

On 15 June, you and other Congress members also issued a statement welcoming the decision of the Iván Duque administration to maintain and consolidate diplomatic relations with Cuba?

-It is very positive that, in statements made by government officials, the status of Cuba as a guarantor country has been reaffirmed, but we consider this to be insufficient. The problem created by the lack of knowledge of the ELN talks Rupture Protocol must be resolved. So the Political Control work, which we exercise as Congress members, will continue and we will take other actions to ensure that the Colombian government meets its commitments, in an integral, full manner.

What actions could the government of Iván Duque undertake in support of the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace?

-The only salvation, the only way for the current government to right the country’s course, after the erratic and unfortunate leadership we have suffered these last two years, is to move toward a serious peace policy, which includes the full implementation of the Peace Agreement, the resumption of talks with the ELN and the promotion of a radically different international policy, oriented toward cooperation, integration and the objective of making our region a Zone of Peace.

(Source: Granma)

Of the 34,899,945 Colombians eligible to vote on Sunday, October 2, 63% abstained, with only 37% participating.

It is important to note that the results are valid, as in order for the vote to be considered adequate, at least 13% of the electorate needed to vote for one of the options.

On September 26, the Colombian government and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP) signed the Final Pace Agreement to bring the 52-year armed conflict to an end, which has left 220,000 dead and millions displaced.

On August 24, 2016, the national government and guerilla faction announced the final peace accord. The document was then submitted to Congress on August 25 and President Santos announced his decision to hold a referendum on October 2, 2016.

The documents were made public for all Colombians before the plebiscite was held last Sunday.

(Granma)

Santos arrived in Cuba to participate “In a Colombia peace talks ceremony, in which important agreements regarding special jurisdiction for peace, established by the parties during the talks, will be announced,” a statement from the Cuban Foreign Ministry noted.

President Santos is expected to announce to the country the signing of an agreement relating to victims of the conflict, one of the most complicated issues on the agenda, which has been debated for almost a year.

According to El Tiempo, the head of state departed for the Caribbean island accompanied by representatives from various political sectors, as well as the President of the Senate, Luis Fernando Velasco; and President of the House of Representatives, Alfredo Deluque.

Earlier, Santos had announced on this Twitter account that he would be making a stop in Havana “for a crucial meeting with negotiators in order to accelerate the peace process. Peace is close.”

(Prensa Latina)

President Juan Manuel Santos made a stopover in Havana to meet with the negotiating team and accelerate the peace process.

“Peace is close,” the president tweeted.

Meanwhile, the delegation of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP) released pictures of the arrival in Havana of guerrilla leader Timoleón Jiménez.

Colombian media reported on the impending meeting between Santos and Jiménez, which would provide a decisive boost to the peace process which has seen negotiations in Havana since November 19, 2012.

According to these sources, the reason for the visit is the signing of the preliminary agreement which has been reached on one of the themes related to the issue of victims.

The comprehensive system of truth, justice, reparation and non-repetition agreed at the negotiating table is a historic step toward guaranteeing the rights of victims, ending the conflict and achieving peace after more than 50 years of conflict, with hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions displaced.

The parties had already announced a four-month period, beginning on July 12, within which to reach concrete results.

Of the issues on the agenda in Havana, preliminary agreements have already been reached in regards to rural development, illicit drugs and political participation. Once the issue of the victims is resolved, the implementation, verification and formal endorsement of the agreement will remain, in order to put an end to the conflict itself.

This will be the first direct meeting between the two leaders, however similarly meetings at this level have previously taken place. The negotiations between the FARC-EP and the government of Andrés Pastrana (1999-2002) in the demilitarized zone of El Caguán, saw guerrilla leader Manuel Marulanda Vélez meet with the then president.

The Secretary General of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), Ernesto Samper, welcomed the agreement on justice and victims, about to be signed in Havana between the guerrilla organization and the Colombian government.

I welcome this historic step in Havana to define the application of Transitional Justice which will allow us to move from conflict to post-conflict, Samper tweeted, referring to the news circulated in the past few hours.

Meanwhile, lawyer and former Congresswoman Piedad Córdoba congratulated the “government and the FARC-EP for the imminent signing of the item on justice and victims.”

The campaginer for human rights called on citizens to support the talks in Havana on social media through the hashtag #LaPazEstáCerca (Peace is Close).

“Today, peace in Colombia is an irreversible fact. Peace is close, it’s coming and we will achieve it peacefully, today more than ever we will support this hope,” she insisted via Twitter.

Colombian SenatorIván Cepeda, who traveled with President Santos stated: “Today is a historic day for Colombia. The recognition of our efforts for peace.”

“We are close to a final agreement, long live Colombia, long live peace,” he added.

(Granma)