International

Colombian government and ELN resume round of talks in Mexico

Photo: Mpdl

December 5 |

The Colombian government and the National Liberation Army (ELN), began this Monday the fifth round of peace talks in Mexico, a country that has hosted the negotiation processes between the participating delegations.

In a message from the Mexican Foreign Ministry, Mexico reiterates its permanent commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes and the promotion of peace and security in Latin America, as well as its firm and unequivocal support to the peace process between the Government of Colombia and the ELN.

Likewise, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged that this new round of dialogues and negotiations contribute to open ways to reach a definitive and lasting solution to the conflict.

For its part, the ELN from its Twitter account stated that “our delegation is back in Mexico to start the V Cycle of talks of the Dialogue Table. Here we sign the Mexico Agreement, which contains a different model of Peace negotiation, which is distinguished because it demands changes and transformations for Peace”.

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In the joint declarations issued by both negotiating countries, it is stated that they will continue to count on the accompaniment of the host country and the Governments of Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Norway and Venezuela; of the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations in Colombia and of the Colombian Episcopal Conference.

According to the Head of Delegation of the National Liberation Army ELN, Peace Dialogues, Pablo Beltrán, and published by Colombia Informa, “to date no public statement has been made by the national government, the ELN, friendly countries or the monitoring mechanism on the allegations made by the communities on the collusion of paramilitaries with the security forces”.

These statements have taken place after what happened with Luis Manuel Díaz, “who was kidnapped and later released by that insurgent group”, while “the issue of how to resolve the ELN’s support returned to the center of the debate”.

Likewise, Colombia Informa stated that the Government and ELN will resume the Fifth Cycle of Peace Talks in Mexico in the midst of tensions, “where the issue of kidnapping and ELN financing will be mandatory topics, however, little is known about what priority will be given to the complaints against the Colombian army for collusion with paramilitary groups, as denounced by the communities”.

The platform, which permanently addresses these issues within its informative agenda, emphasized that “it is also unclear when there will be results from the Colombian State to resolve the humanitarian crisis that is being experienced in the regions”.

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According to Indepaz, a few days before the end of 2023, more than 150 social leaders, 39 peace signatories and 90 massacres have been assassinated in Colombia.

International

Hiroshima survivor who embraced Obama dies at 88

The emotional embrace between Barack Obama and Hiroshima survivor Mori—who was eight years old when the United States dropped the atomic bomb in 1945—resonated around the world.

According to Asahi Shimbun and other local media, Mori died on Saturday at a hospital in Hiroshima.

Mori, known for his research on the fate of American prisoners of war in Hiroshima, was thrown into a river by the force of the explosion on August 6, 1945, during the atomic bombing of the city.

In a past interview with AFP, ahead of his meeting with Obama at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial in 2016, Mori recalled the chaos and desperation that followed the blast.

He described how, after emerging from the water, he encountered injured civilians seeking help amid the devastation, an experience that stayed with him throughout his life.

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In 2016, Obama became the first sitting U.S. president to visit Hiroshima, where he paid tribute to the victims of the first atomic bomb used in warfare. During the visit, Mori was visibly moved as he met the president, sharing a brief but powerful moment that symbolized remembrance and reconciliation.

The bombing of Hiroshima resulted in the deaths of approximately 140,000 people, including those who succumbed to radiation exposure in the aftermath.

Three days later, a second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, killing an estimated 74,000 people and contributing to the end of World War II.

International

Colombia seeks ‘total suffocation’ of armed groups with regional support

Colombia is advancing a strategy aimed at the “total suffocation” of illegal armed groups, seeking to corner them in border regions with the support of Ecuador and Venezuela, Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez said in an interview with AFP.

According to the minister, coordinated pressure from neighboring countries—backed by United States—aims to dismantle criminal networks that use cross-border routes to traffic Colombian cocaine toward North America and Europe.

For decades, armed groups involved in Colombia’s internal conflict have relied on border territories as strategic rear bases to evade military operations and maintain logistical support.

However, Sánchez said that dynamic is beginning to change.

“We expect a total suffocation between both nations so they have no spaces where they can live or feel safe […] to close off any room they might have,” he stated during the interview in Bogotá, less than five months before the end of President Gustavo Petro’s term.

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Regional developments have reinforced this strategy. Following the capture of Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. military operation, Washington has increased its influence in Caracas, where interim leader Delcy Rodríguez has implemented a renewed anti-narcotics policy.

Meanwhile, in Ecuador, President Daniel Noboa—a key U.S. ally in the region—has launched a two-week security plan under strict curfews to combat criminal gangs, with U.S. support.

Sánchez argued that these combined efforts leave illegal organizations with fewer escape routes and operational spaces, effectively placing them in a “dead end.”

International

Two killed in shooting at restaurant near Frankfurt Airport

Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a restaurant in Raunheim, near Frankfurt Airport, according to local police.

Preliminary findings indicate that an armed individual entered the establishment at around 03:45 local time (02:45 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries.

The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, German media reported. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation.