Colombia: Colombia ready to talk peace with National Liberation Army (ELN) rebels
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos says he is ready to start negotiating peace with the country’s second-largest rebel group, the National Liberation Army (ELN), ‘as soon as possible.’
Santos hailed the rebels’ release this week of a Canadian hostage and said ‘the government is ready to start a dialogue with the ELN as soon as possible,’ in a statement released by his office on thursday.
The ELN announced on Tuesday that it would release the 47-year-old, who works for the Braeval Mining Corporation.
He was captured by guerrillas in northern Colombia on January 18 along with two Peruvians and three Colombians employed by the Toronto-based mining company.