In a surprising turn of events, a faction of the Colombian leftist rebel group, the National Liberation Army (ELN), has broken away from the central command, marking the group’s first dissident faction. The Southern Community Front, operating in Colombia’s Narino province, announced its split from the wider ELN on Tuesday, a move that was quickly confirmed by Pablo Beltran, head of the rebel group’s peace delegation.
Colombia’s government has recognized this dissident faction as an independent organization, a decision that could have significant implications for the country’s peace process. President Gustavo Petro’s government has been working towards ending the ELN’s involvement in Colombia’s decades-long internal conflict, which has claimed the lives of over 450,000 people.
Analysts warn that the splintering of the ELN could pose challenges to the government’s peace efforts. The government’s peace commissioner’s office stated that they will now treat the Narino faction as a separate entity from the national organization, with which they were conducting political negotiations.
The ELN recently announced the end of its suspension on kidnappings, citing the government’s delay in establishing a multi-donor fund for the peace process. Despite six rounds of talks since the end of 2022, negotiations hit a snag when the government began separate discussions with the Narino faction regarding the group’s disarmament and reintegration into society.
The peace commissioner’s office has vowed to ensure that the ELN upholds its commitment to renounce kidnappings. Previous negotiations with the ELN have faltered due to the group’s radical positions, internal dissent, and complex chain of command. The ELN is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the European Union.