Cuba Will Adhere to Protocol after Breaking of Colombia-ELN Peace Talks

The announcement of the head of Cuban diplomacy comes after the decision of the Colombian president, Iván Duque, to put an end to negotiations with the ELN

Cuba’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, reiterated, through his official Twitter account, that Cuba will act in strict respect for the Peace Dialogue Protocols signed between the Colombian Government and the National Liberation Army (ELN).

An article published this Saturday on the website of the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that the announcement of the head of Cuban diplomacy comes after the decision of the Colombian president, Iván Duque, to put an end to negotiations with the ELN and to activate arrest warrants against the
negotiators of the Colombian guerrilla stationed in Havana.

In his tweet, Rodriguez stressed that the island will abide by the Protocol signed by the parties, which determines the course of action in the event of a breakdown in the negotiation. The Cuban minister assured that his government will consult with the parties and other guarantors.

He reiterated his condolences to Colombia regarding an attack that took place in Bogotá, the Colombian capital, last Thursday, when a car bomb tried to enter a police facility, but at the time it was going to be checked inside, the driver accelerated and hit a wall, which activated the explosive charge.

In March 2016, the Colombian government, under the presidency of Juan Manuel Santos, and the ELN formally initiated the peace process to end the armed conflict between the parties.

The countries that guaranteed the beginning of this peace process were Ecuador, Venezuela, Brazil, Chile, Norway and Cuba, and the fixed headquarters of the peace negotiations was established in Quito; however, in 2018, Cuba became the headquarters of the process, so the ELN negotiators are in Cuban territory.