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A10 Thursday 31 March 2016
WORLD NEWSThursday 31 March 2016
Colombia to hold peace talks with 2nd-largest rebel group
LIBARDO CARDONA Colombia’s government peace negotiation team, left, and the National Liberation Army, or ELN, and intellectuals the wake
Associated Press delegation sit at the table during a signing agreement to start peace talks, in Caracas, Venezue- of the Cuban Revolution.
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) la, Wednesday, March 30, 2016. The formal peace talks with the ELN, the country’s second-largest But many analysts say the
— Colombia will hold for- rebel group, heightens expectations for a definitive end to a half-century of political violence in same orthodoxy that led
mal peace talks with the the Andean nation. the ELN to shun a heavier
country’s second-largest involvement in Colombia’s
rebel group, heightening (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) drug trade also blinded
expectations for a defini- commanders to the op-
tive end to a half-century negotiating for three years sion and special tribunal where it frequently bombs portunity to negotiate a
of political violence in the in Havana with the largest system. a major oil pipeline. far-reaching deal.
Andean nation. Colombian rebel group, The smaller ELN, which the The group, founded by rad- In recent weeks, the group
The government has been the FARC, or Revolutionary U.S government classifies ical Catholic priests in the kidnapped a local coun-
in exploratory talks in Ec- Armed Forces of Colombia. as a terrorist group, has an 1960s, prides itself on be- cilman and captured an
uador with the National Santos emphasized that estimated fighting force of ing more ideologically pure army sergeant, actions
Liberation Army, or ELN, some important points had around 1,500 and relies on than the FARC. Unlike the that led President Juan
for more than a year. Ne- already been agreed upon extortion and kidnapping peasant-based FARC, the Manuel Santos to warm the
gotiators for the two sides in Havana, and would not to fund its insurgency. Its ELN shares a tradition with group was at risk of missing
announced Wednesday open for renegotiation in main base of operations is other leftist insurgencies in the “peace train”
at a press conference in the new talks with the ELN, eastern Colombia, along Latin America that were Colombia’s civil war has
Caracas that those talks including a truth commis- the border with Venezuela, formed by urban students killed an estimated 200,000
will now be formalized people.
around a six-point agenda Human rights groups greet-
including justice for victims, ed news of the talks with
disarmament, and reinte- cautious optimism, but
gration into society. A start stressed the importance
date has not yet been set. of punishing all those who
Negotiations will kick off in have committed abuses
Ecuador and then contin- during the long-running
ue in Venezuela, Brazil and conflict.
Chile and Cuba. The five “The talks between the
countries along with Nor- ELN and the government,
way will sponsor the talks. coupled with an imminent
“If we can make peace, it peace deal with the FARC,
will be the end of guerrilla bring hope that more than
fighters in Colombia and half a century of conflict in
thus in Latin America,” said Colombia might soon be
Colombia President Juan over,” said Erika Guevara-
Manuel Santos. Rosas, Americas Director
The government has been at Amnesty International.
Confrontation looms in Venezuela over amnesty law
HANNAH DREIER 17 years ago by late Presi- the bill, and said it was an needed to free those who congress overrides Mad-
Associated Press dent Hugo Chavez. attempt to free murderers had been sentenced dur- uro’s veto, the Supreme
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) Supporters launched fire- and terrorists. ing show trails. Court will block the legisla-
— Opponents of Venezue- works around the darkened “This law will not go into ef- It is the congress’ first major tion. The court has thwart-
la’s socialist administration city, and lawmakers joined fect,” he said. “Attempts initiative since the session ed nearly all congressional
are preparing for a fight families of the prisoners in to free terrorists and crimi- began in January. action this year, overturn-
over a congressional bid cheering “freedom!” as the nals cannot go through, do The legislation could free ing attempts to limit the
to give amnesty to activ- legislation was passed. what they will.” more than 70 people, in- president’s power, pre-
ists the opposition considers The legislation was a key Congress took up the bill cluding politician Leopoldo venting congress from ex-
political prisoners. campaign promise during without prior notice and Lopez, a well-known oppo- ercising more control over
Venezuela’s opposition- the 2015 legislative race approved it hours later, sition leader. institutions and preventing
controlled congress passed that gave the opposition prompting Maduro to say The former Caracas area lawmakers from taking their
legislation late Tuesday that control of congress for the the opposition bloc had mayor was jailed in 2014 for seats.
would free dozens of peo- first time in more than a used a sneaky fast track his role in leading a some- The opposition’s other main
ple imprisoned in connec- decade. President Nicolas approach. times bloody anti-govern- promise has been to re-
tion with opposing the so- Maduro on Tuesday reiter- Congress President Henry ment protest movement. move Maduro from office
cialist revolution launched ated his determination stop Ramos said the bill was Socialist officials say that if within the year.
