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The Cuban government denied on Friday the presence of the National Liberation Army (ELN) on its territory, stating that representatives of this Colombian guerrilla left the island months ago after concluding their participation in peace talks with the Colombian government.
Eugenio Martínez Enríquez, Director General for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, addressed the allegations regarding the alleged presence of the ELN on the island.
Through his account on X, Martínez asserted that there are no members of the ELN in Cuba, "nor from its Central Command," labeling these insinuations as "unfounded, because there is no evidence."
The diplomat explained that all members of the ELN who traveled to Cuba did so with official authorizations from the Colombian government, through safe conduct permits issued solely for the purpose of participating in peace negotiations.
He added that "all members of the ELN left Cuba months ago, after the conclusion of the Sixth Cycle of the Peace Dialogue Table and the Point of Contact requested by the Peace Delegation of the Colombian Government and the ELN".
Martínez also emphasized that both the Colombian government and the countries guaranteeing the dialogues, as well as the permanent companions, are aware of this information.
He remembered that during a special meeting of the Peace Dialogue Table held in Caracas, Venezuela, in May 2024, the ELN itself confirmed the departure of its members from Cuba.
The assertion from the Cuban government comes amid the reactivation, on Wednesday, of the arrest warrants against the peace negotiators of the ELN, following Colombian President Gustavo Petro's decision to suspend the dialogues, reports the agency Efe.
The measure was taken in response to the "war crimes" that, according to the president, the ELN is committing in the Catatumbo region.
The Attorney General of Colombia, Luz Adriana Camargo, explained that "the failure to meet the conditions for the suspension of arrest warrants and, in particular, the commission of new crimes by members of the ELN, gives rise to reactivating the previously suspended arrest warrants at the request of the president".
Furthermore, Camargo assured at a press conference last Thursday that, through Interpol and international cooperation, extraditions of the guerrilla leaders "in Cuba or wherever they may be" will be requested.
For his part, the Cuban leader, Miguel Díaz-Canel, also commented on the issue on his social media, criticizing the accusations against the island.
"Among the most cynical and perverse maneuvers of the enemies of the Cuban people are the false pretexts they create to accuse #Cuba of criminal practices that they will never be able to prove, and to distort facts that history clearly illuminates," he stated.
Díaz-Canel stated that Cuba's detractors continue to cling to "dishonest arguments that exist only in their vile minds," and asserted that these attacks have not succeeded in preventing the international isolation in which, according to him, the United States finds itself due to its aggressive policy toward the island.
The Cuban government reiterated its commitment to the peaceful resolution of conflicts in Latin America and defended its record as a mediator in peace processes, stressing that any attempt to question its role in these efforts is "unacceptable."
Meanwhile, the Colombian government has stated regarding the issue that the members of the ELN participating in the peace talks are not in Cuba. According to information from the EFE agency, Colombian authorities have confirmed that the guerrilla representatives involved in the negotiations are either in Colombian territory or in other countries designated for the talks.
“Our delegation affirms that as of today, and according to official information, there are no representatives or authorized persons from the ELN in Cuba to participate in the peace process”, stated the Government delegation led by Vera Grabe.
Frequently asked questions about the presence of the ELN in Cuba and the statements from the Cuban government
What has Cuba said about the presence of the ELN on the island?
The Cuban government has categorically denied the presence of the National Liberation Army (ELN) on its territory, asserting that members of this Colombian guerrilla left the island months ago after completing their participation in peace talks with the government of Colombia.
What were the circumstances surrounding the ELN's departure from Cuba?
The members of the ELN who were in Cuba did so with official authorizations from the Colombian government and left the island after completing the Sixth Cycle of the Peace Dialogue Table. Eugenio Martínez Enríquez, Director General for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, has explained that this information is known to the Colombian government and the guarantor countries of the negotiations.
What has prompted the reactivation of arrest warrants against the ELN negotiators?
The reactivation of the arrest warrants is due to the "war crimes" that Colombian President Gustavo Petro attributes to the ELN in the Catatumbo region. This decision was made following the failure to meet the conditions for the suspension of these warrants and the commission of new crimes by members of the ELN.
What is the Cuban government's stance on the allegations of collaboration with the ELN?
The Cuban government has labeled the accusations of collaboration with the ELN as "unfounded insinuations" and defends its role as a mediator in peace processes in Latin America. Miguel Díaz-Canel has criticized the accusations, calling them cynical and nefarious maneuvers by the regime’s detractors.
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