Closing ceremony of the third cycle of the dialogue table between the ELN and the Colombian government. Photo: CubaMinrex/Twitter

Havana, June 9 (RHC)-- With the presence of Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, the third cycle of the peace dialogue table between the Colombian Government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) closed this Friday in Havana, in which a bilateral, national and temporary ceasefire agreement was announced.

This ceasefire, as part of the Cuba Agreements, was signed by the head of the Colombian Government delegation, Otty Patiño, and the second commander and head of the ELN delegation, Pablo Beltrán.

This important truce seeks to de-escalate the violence that has extended for more than half a century in Colombian territory, and puts an end to crossfire, hostilities and offensive actions between the Colombian Armed Forces and guerrilla commandos.

President Petro accompanied for the first time the formal closing of a round of dialogues with the ELN, which took place in the Cuban capital since May 2, after two previous rounds in Mexico City and Caracas.

Also participating in the ceremony were the first ELN commander Antonio García and other high-ranking guerrilla leaders.

Present at the ceremony held on Friday in the Protocol Room of Cubanacán "El Laguito", were the foreign ministers of Cuba, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, and Colombia, Álvaro Leyva Durán, as well as other representatives of the guarantor and permanent accompanying countries of the talks process for the longed-for peace in the South American nation.

The Cuban foreign minister read out the signed agreements and announced that the fourth cycle of talks will be held in Venezuela, between August 14 and September 4, where the parties will take stock of the fulfillment of what they have agreed.  Rodríguez Parrilla commented that "the parties have decided to immediately comply with the Cuban Agreements"  He also informed that the Peace Dialogue Table "is entering into a permanent activity that combines different work modalities, in different scenarios and times, maintaining the cycles of talks".

The delegations of the Colombian Government and the ELN signed two pacts in Cuba: the first one related to "the process of participation of society in the construction of peace"; and the second one, on "the bilateral, national and temporary ceasefire".