Exclusive: Venezuela Seeks a Deal with Biden as Colombia Summit Begins
NewsweekNov 25, 2022
The Facts
On Friday, Colombia's government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) — its largest remaining rebel group — signed a six-month ceasefire to end nearly 60 years of armed conflict.
The truce, which will go into effect on August 3, reportedly calls for forming a national committee by late July to discuss a lasting peace.
The Spin
Left narrative
This long-awaited agreement is a step in the right direction to peace, reasserting the commitment of both the Colombian government and the ELN to solve the six-decade-long armed conflict plaguing the country. Unlike past peace processes, Petro's "total peace" is likely to finally bring the armed insurgency to an end as it will not persecute the guerrillas after they demobilize and disarm.
Right narrative
It's no coincidence that this breakthrough comes shortly after leaked conversations between top Colombian officials suggested that drug cartels financially backed Petro ahead of the second round of voting last year, causing an institutional crisis that has marred his administration's credibility. The ceasefire is merely a political stunt to divert public attention.