José Manuel Albares travels to Colombia to observe the progress in the peace dialogue between the Government of Gustavo Petro and the guerrilla group known as the National Liberation Army, or ELN. Spain acts as a supporting country, providing diplomatic and political backing to the process. The Spanish minister of foreign affairs will meet in Cartagena de Indias with two central figures in the negotiations, according to diplomatic sources: Vera Grabe, named by President Petro to lead the government’s negotiating team with the ELN; and Oti Patiño, the High Commissioner for Peace of Colombia and a key player throughout the talks.
These meetings, not listed on the minister’s official public agenda, are particularly significant given that Spain has not yet appointed a dedicated ad hoc envoy for participation in the negotiations. The role, for the moment, has fallen to the Spanish ambassador in Bogotá, Joaquín de Arístegui, who has attended cycles of talks in Mexico and Havana. For some time, the ministry discussed appointing a high-level special envoy to deepen dialogue with the parties and to give greater visibility to Spain’s role. That appointment has not occurred.
The ELN announced on February 24 that it was freezing the peace talks because it claims the Colombian side has not fulfilled its commitments.
Spain’s Offer to Petro
In August 2022, Pedro Sánchez offered Gustavo Petro a substantial role for Spain in ongoing negotiations in Colombia with the guerrillas. Spain would act as a guarantor at the highest level and possibly host some rounds of talks. In the end, Spain’s participation remained that of a mere accompanying country rather than a leading guarantor.
The entry of Spain into the process has been affected by the Spanish electoral cycle and, more importantly, by the ELN’s boycott, which views Spain as a country aligned with NATO.
The peace process in Colombia holds significant implications for Spain. Tens of thousands of Colombian refugees live in Spain due to the violence of the conflict, and the registered number of Colombians in the country exceeds half a million.
“Paz Total”
Gustavo Petro conducted a state visit to Spain from May 2 to 5. The left-leaning president took office in 2022 and became the first Colombian head of state to have previously participated in a guerrilla movement, specifically M-19. After taking office, he pledged to pursue the so-called “Paz Total” by integrating political negotiation with police measures to end violence. Colombia has endured decades of armed groups, often blending political ideology with economic interests tied to drug trafficking. Former president Juan Manuel Santos secured a partial peace with the main group, the FARC, earning the Nobel Prize for his efforts. Petro aims to continue the peace process by building on what has been achieved with the ELN and other groups.
There have been two rounds of negotiations with the ELN, in Venezuela and Mexico, where governments have shown varying levels of willingness to support the talks. Venezuela and Cuba have acted as guarantors, while Spain and Chile have served as accompanying nations. This means they provide political and diplomatic backing to foster trust between the negotiating sides and help resolve arising issues. It is also anticipated that Spain will assist with development initiatives to help guerrillas lay down arms and reintegrate into civilian life. This support would come through the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation, AECID.
Meeting with the Acting Foreign Minister
The head of Spanish diplomacy will also hold a meeting with his Colombian counterpart, Luis Gilberto Murillo, according to a statement from the Foreign Affairs ministry. In Cartagena, the minister plans to inaugurate the first World Forum for the Elimination of Cervicouterine Cancer, one of the most common and preventable cancers through vaccination against the human papillomavirus. The forum is organized by the governments of Spain and Colombia, together with international organizations including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization, the GAVI Alliance, and UNICEF.
From Cartagena, Albares will fly to Panama City to meet with Panama’s Foreign Minister, Janaina Tewaney.
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[Attribution: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Spain; Government of Colombia]