Government suspends sixth round of negotiations with dissidents from Walter Mendoza following Putumayo uprising

The sixth round of talks between the government and the National Coordinating Body for the Bolivarian Army (CNEB) was scheduled to begin this weekend. However, following the attack on a group of soldiers conducting an operation to destroy a cocaine processing laboratory in the Siloé district of Villagarzón (Putumayo) on September 3, the delegation led by Armando Novoa decided to suspend the meeting.

After the attack, Novoa not only imposed conditions on the preparatory meeting for the implementation of the temporary deployment zone, but also warned that he would withdraw from the meeting if it was proven that those responsible were members of the Border Commandos, one of the structures that negotiates under the umbrella of the CNEB and whose main leader is the extraditable Geovany Andrés Rojas, alias Araña.

"The information must be very specific, because if the Border Commandos participated in that action, I believe the government's response could hardly be anything other than to walk away; not suspend it, as in other processes," the peace negotiator told this newspaper one day after the attack.

The armed group later issued a statement and, while requesting that the events be "thoroughly clarified," did not deny responsibility. Furthermore, it requested that the verification mechanism, agreed upon within the framework of the de-escalation process, review the case to "fully determine the facts."

For the attack on the two soldiers, Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez offered a reward of 200 million pesos for information leading to the identification, individualization, and capture of those responsible, so they can be brought to justice.

“Those who did this are neither peasants nor communities demanding their rights. They are criminals and drug traffickers who attempted to assassinate our soldiers. This serious crime will not go unpunished. All of Colombia must raise its voice in rejection and condemn this crime. Colombia stands with its heroes and heroines who wear uniform,” the minister stated.

The attack on the military also comes at a key moment, as the conditions for the destruction of 13.5 tons of war material held by the armed forces are yet to be defined. For now, that agreement remains in effect, this newspaper confirmed.

In fact, inspections are expected to begin next week at the sites where the destruction will take place, and the government already has an inventory of the material.

CAMILO A. CASTILLOPolitical EditorX: (@camiloandres894)