{"id":192370,"date":"2019-01-26T18:54:14","date_gmt":"2019-01-26T23:54:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/?p=192370"},"modified":"2019-01-26T18:54:14","modified_gmt":"2019-01-26T23:54:14","slug":"eln-leaders-will-not-ask-for-asylum-in-cuba-and-will-return-to-camps-in-colombia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/world\/latin-america\/eln-leaders-will-not-ask-for-asylum-in-cuba-and-will-return-to-camps-in-colombia\/","title":{"rendered":"ELN leaders will not ask for asylum in Cuba and will return to camps in Colombia"},"content":{"rendered":"

The chief peace negotiator of the National Liberation Army (ELN) in Cuba, Israel Ram\u00edrez, alias \u201cPablo Beltr\u00e1n\u201d, said this Saturday that after the reactivation of the arrest warrants the 10 members of the team will not ask for political asylum on the island but will return to their camps in Colombia.<\/span><\/p>\n

Asylum, said Ram\u00edrez in an interview with Caracol Radio, “is forbidden in the ELN,” so “if we suffer political persecution for revolutionary ideas we\u2019ll go to the mountains. That\u2019s the best way.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The guerrilla leader clarified that “if one wants Colombia to change, one cannot leave the country,” which is why the insurgents will try to “create the conditions to return to the camps,” which is what the Central Command of the ELN orders.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Ram\u00edrez’ statements came after Colombian President Iv\u00e1n Duque <\/span>announced<\/span><\/a> on January 18 the reactivation of arrest warrants for negotiators in Cuba as a result of the terrorist attack that left the day before a toll of 21 dead and 68 wounded in the Santander General Police Cadet School, in Bogot\u00e1.<\/span><\/p>\n

The peace talks with the ELN were initiated by the previous Colombian government in February 2017 in Quito, but in May 2018 they moved to Havana where the last round of talks <\/span>ended<\/span><\/a> last August 3.<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon <\/span>assuming the Presidency<\/span><\/a> on August 7 Duque announced that he would review the advisability of continuing with these negotiations, which have since been suspended due to the Government’s demand that the ELN end all criminal activities, especially kidnapping.<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/twitter.com\/IvanDuque\/status\/1087844979718963210?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1087844979718963210&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Foncubanews.com%2Fmundo%2Famerica-latina%2Flideres-del-eln-no-pediran-asilo-en-cuba-y-volveran-a-campamentos-en-colombia%2F<\/p>\n

This Friday, the Government of Cuba <\/span>ruled out<\/span><\/a> that the negotiators participated in the attack and urged respect for the protocol established for their return to Colombia.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, Duque considered that the agreement is not valid because it was established by the previous government and due to the seriousness of the attack in Bogot\u00e1.<\/span><\/p>\n

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|En defensa de la paz en #Colombia<\/a>. Declaraci\u00f3n del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de #Cuba<\/a>|
Consulte el texto \u00edntegro de la declaraci\u00f3n v\u00eda @CubaMINREX<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/GJeuC9JHOO<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/exjriOB5zA<\/a><\/p>\n

— Canciller\u00eda de Cuba (@CubaMINREX) January 25, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n