Colombia announces formal peace process begins with ELN

theguardian.com reported Colombia has opened a new front in its quest to end half a century of war, with the announcement of a formal peace process with the country’s second-largest rebel group, the National Liberation Army, or ELN.

In an announcement made in Caracas, the Colombian government and leaders of the ELN said that they would begin talks to end the rebels’ five-decade uprising, and set a six-point negotiating agenda, signed by the government negotiator Frank Pearl and rebel leader Antonio García.

The group recently freed two hostages, which President Juan Manuel Santos had placed as a condition to starting formal talks. Read Article