Colombian government and ELN initiate ceasefire with participation of society

Bogota, August 3 (RHC)-- The Colombian government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) officially began this Thursday the bilateral ceasefire for 180 days as part of the Total Peace policy promoted by the Executive of President Gustavo Petro.

The negotiating delegations intervened this day in the act of installation of the National Committee of Participation in the agreements in Corferias, Bogota, where around 2,000 people gathered.  At the event, headed by the Colombian head of state, a set of initiatives were announced to advance in the process of a definitive peace.

At the same time, the 81 delegates of the Committee in charge of bringing to the negotiations the different contributions and requests from civil society to eradicate violence were presented.  In this sense, the structure is made up of members of social organizations, trade unions, victims' movements, business, among other sectors.

"The objective of the participation is to build an agenda of transformations that will lead to a great national agreement to overcome the armed and social conflict," said the government delegate at the negotiating table, Nigeria Rentería.

For her part, the ELN delegate, Consuelo Tapias, stressed the need to be "effective" and "make peace happen" in order to "stop the threats and deaths of leaders in the territories."

The Colombian president welcomed the presence of hundreds of people from remote regions of the country, those who have historically suffered the most from war.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, whose country is a guarantor, expressed "hope" for the entry into force of the ceasefire agreed on June 9th in Havana.