Colombia

Colombia’s government and the ELN agreed to an “extraordinary meeting” after the guerrilla group rejected a ceasefire that was announced by President Gustavo Petro.

In 2022, the armed conflict in Colombia worsened and led to increased levels of violence that affected at least 12 departments, most notably in the Pacific region and along the borders with Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

[…] “The Council’s decision today to authorize the expansion of the Mission’s mandate to include the Agreement’s comprehensive rural reform and the ethnic chapter in its verification tasks will enable the Mission to increase its contribution to peace in Colombia,” said Mr. Massieu [the head of the UN Verification Mission], speaking after its unanimous adoption of a Resolution 2673. 

The government of Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro said Wednesday the security forces will resume attacks against ELN guerrillas. The decision followed an announcement of the guerrillas in which they refused to an immediate bilateral ceasefire together with four other illegal armed groups.

Colombia’s largest remaining guerrilla group has contradicted government claims that they had agreed a national ceasefire, in a setback to plans to bring peace to the Andean nation after decades of violence.

The agreement between the Colombian Government and the five largest remaining armed groups there provides “renewed hope for comprehensive peace” into the new year, said the UN chief in a statement released by his Spokesperson late on Sunday.

[…] Six years after the signing of the Final Agreement, crucial sections have been unevenly implemented, despite their potential to address the underlying causes of the conflict and redress historic inequalities.

Colombia’s illegal armed groups are increasingly moving their violence from the countryside to the country’s cities, according to a leading think tank on the armed conflict.

The Colombian government and National Liberation Army (ELN) rebels on Monday "successfully" completed a first round of peace talks in Caracas by agreeing to free prisoners, but without signing a cease fire, according to a joint statement.

Peace talks between Colombia's government and the ELN rebel group have reached a first point of agreement, the country's president has said. … Both sides have agreed that indigenous people displaced by the conflict should be guaranteed safe return to their lands in the province, he said.