Ex-senator Piedad Cordoba has confirmed Monday that Colombia’s second largest guerrilla group ELN will also seek negotiations towards a peace process with the government.
In an interview with news site CM&, Cordoba declared that she has high expectations of the announcements of peace talks between the government and guerrilla groups that would occur this week.
The former politician, who has often been criticized in the past for her alleged ties to the FARC and for that reason banned from holding an official position, maintains communications with the ELN and confirmed that there are already rapprochements between them and the government to participate in negotiations.
President Juan Manuel Santos announced last week that exploratory negotiations between the government and the largest rebel group FARC were in the works to end the nearly 50-year armed conflict. Soon after confirmation from both the FARC and ELN arose saying that they are willing to participate.
Cordoba said that when the communist party met with the the president, they raised the point that “Colombians for the Peace” can also participate as a civil society for a peace process. The ex-senator claimed that most of all they want to participate in the construction of the agenda and that she must be present at the table of negotiation to do so.
According to Cordoba, one of the points of the agenda of negotiation should be a huge constitutional reform that includes important changes in the way of electing and being elected.
The former politician, who officially has been kept out of the preliminary talks between the administration of Santos and the rebels, asked that she and other social organizations “surround and take place at the table” of eventual peace talks.
Cordoba also saw FARC leader Timochenko’s announcement Monday to arrive to tables of discussion without “hatred or arrogance” as a positive sign. “He is the supreme leader of the guerrilla group and this is a clear show of will to arrive to the process without preventions,” she added.
The ex-senator indicated that through Colombians for the Peace they will contact international experts in themes of peace to support ideas of the process of negotiation.
The banished senator has been one of the least popular politicians in Colombia because of her guerrilla ties and friendly relations with Hugo Chavez.
