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Establishment of the ELN
The National Liberation Army ELN was founded in 1964 in Santander Province, Colombia. Its founders were inspired by the triumphs of the Cuban Revolution (Pares, 2016). -
Liberation Theology (The Priest - Camilo Torres)
The priest Camilo Torres joins the ELN to expose the Liberation Theory, a socio-political movement of the catholic church that encouraged the Struggle for the Poor.(Camilo Torres Restrepo Biography | Pantheon, n.d.) -
Camilo Torres' death
He was killed in combat by the Colombian army, despite his short time in the ELN, Liberation Theology was the basis of the movement.
(Hixson, 1975) -
Military Operation Anorí
Former President Pastrana orders a military attack against the ELN in the province of Antioquia. It was a defeat for the ELN who could not take strategic cities to deploy their army. (Comisión de la Verdad, 2020) -
1st Peace Dialogue
The first attempt at negotiations with the government of former President Lopez Michelsen. The negotiation failed because ELN negotiators could not reach the meeting with the government due to a roadblock by the National Army (CIDOB, 2022). -
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FAILED ATTEMPTS AT PEACE BETWEEN THE ELN AND THE GOVERNMENT
At least 8 presidents have tried to negotiate peace to the conflict with the ELN, all failed. This conflict has lasted almost 70 years, has left 2 million victims, 4,800 massacres and 70% of the country affected by ELN attacks on civilians, military bases, journalists and politicians. -
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2nd Peace Dialogue
Former President Belisario attempts to negotiate the conflict by demanding the ELN's surrender. The ELN assures that this is not a negotiation but a threat. New indigenous, peasant and student guerrillas emerge in Colombia and the ELN ends the talks (Comisión de la Verdad, 2020). -
National Guerilla Coordination
The ELN joins and coordinates attacks on the Government with other guerrillas such as the EPL, M-19 and the FARC. This union was strengthened by the financing of drug trafficking and extortion crimes against the civilian population. -
3rd Peace Dialogue
Former President Gaviria succeeds in getting a small ELN group to lay down their arms; all the people in that group were killed by the ELN (CNN, 2023). -
Massacres and Attacks of the 90s
It was the bloodiest decade of the ELN, its alliance with drug trafficking and other guerrillas increased attacks, massacres, terrorist attacks that left 8,000 victims in 1620 massacres. In the history of the conflict in Colombia there are more than 2 million victims and there were at least 4,200 massacres in 62% of the country's territory. (Comisión de la Verdad, 2020). -
4th Peace Dialogue
Former President Samper negotiates peace with the ELN in Germany, while the negotiation is being concluded, the ELN carries out a massacre in Colombia that left 80 dead. The negotiation was cancelled. -
5th Peace Dialogue
Former President Uribe negotiates with the ELN in Venezuela, with Spain, Switzerland and Norway as mediators of the talks. The weakening of relations between the Colombian and Venezuelan governments suspends the talks. -
Peace Agreement with FARC
Former President Santos reaches a historic agreement with the FARC, ending a 60-year armed conflict. The ELN decides to suspend its talks with the government in order to analyze how the FARC´s agreement develops after it is signed. -
6th Peace Dialogue
Former President Santos, designed a detailed agreement with the ELN, Ecuador was the mediating country this time, but the Peace Dialogue between the Government and the FARC (a larger guerrilla group at that time) was moving faster. The Government concentrated on the dialogue with FARC and left ELN aside. -
7th Peace Dialogue
Former President Duque attempted to negotiate with the ELN, imposing impossible conditions, asking for imprisonment of ELN members and economic compensation to all victims of the conflict. The ELN rejected the terms of the negotiation. -
President Gustavo Petro
Gustavo Petro wins the presidential election. It is a milestone in Colombia as Petro was a former guerrilla of the M-19 a student guerrilla. Also because he is the first leftist president in the country, where conservative presidents have always been elected. This was because in Colombia the left was associated with the guerrillas that had killed so many Colombians. -
8th Peace Dialogues (Current)
Current President Petro resumes negotiations in Cuba. ELN has serious intentions to negotiate with Petro, they have confidence due to his guerrilla past. Peace has never been closer. -
Peace dialogues suspended
Talks are suspended due to ELN terrorist attacks on a town in September. The ELN claims it wants to demonstrate its negotiating power, the government argues that it cannot negotiate with terror. (GIGA, 2024)