Colombian Minister of the Interior Alfonso Prada addresses the press during a news conference after peace negotiations in Bogota, Colombia, on January 4, 2023. Photo: Reuters/Luisa Gonzalez.
On Wednesday, Colombian ministers announced the suspension of a negotiated ceasefire with the National Liberation Army (ELN, per its Spanish acronym). Colombian President Gustavo Petro initially celebrated a 6-month ceasefire with the five main guerrilla groups on New Year’s Eve. However, the ELN—Colombia’s largest active guerilla group—later replied with a statement issued on Tuesday claiming that they did not agree to such a ceasefire and clarified they would only analyze a ceasefire proposal during the ongoing negotiations.
Petro’s “Total Peace” plan represents one of his administration’s top priorities, as nearly 60 years of conflict has claimed more than 450,000 lives in the country. On Wednesday, Interior Minister Alfonso Prada explained that the ceasefire was still in place for the other four groups—FARC dissidents known as the Estado Mayor Central and Segunda Marquetalia; the Clan del Golfo; and the Self-Defenses of the Sierra Nevada.
