Havana, January 22 (RHC) -- ELN Commander Pablo Beltrán has denied any link between members of the group’s negotiating team and the car bombing which took place in Bogota on January 17, killing at least 21 persons.

Cuba offered to host peace talks between the ELN and Colombian government, initiated by former Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos in Quito, Ecuador, last year before moving to the Cuban capital where they were suspended by now President Ivan Duque. 

"Our task in Cuba is to move forward the agenda of talks.   We have no knowledge of the events that occurred in Colombia, nor are we involved in them in any way," said the leader of the National Liberation Army (ELN) in a statement to Prensa Latina.

Beltrán noted that the Cuban government welcomed the delegation and offered to serve as guarantor and host of the talks, and requested that the insurgent group limit themselves exclusively to the peace dialogues.    “This is what we have done and we are focused on advancing the conversations,” he emphasized.