Colombia ELN Talks Remain Suspended 15+ Months; Petro Proposes Resumption Ahead of Election

Formal peace negotiations between the Colombian government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) remain suspended more than 15 months after the January 2025 Catatumbo massacre, in which ELN fighters killed over 80 civilians and displaced 32,000 people in Norte de Santander. President Gustavo Petro proposes resuming talks in April 2026 but Peace Commissioner Otty Patiño states the ELN must 'fundamentally alter its approach' before dialogue resumes. The FARC dissident landscape is simultaneously fragmenting: Iván Mordisco's Estado Mayor Central (EMC) has broken off negotiations entirely and returned to full armed operations, while the Calarcá faction maintains a separate dialogue track. President Petro's 'Total Peace' framework — once the centerpiece of his administration — faces an existential test ahead of the May 31, 2026 presidential election, in which the future of the policy hangs in the balance.