28 April 2008

 

Looking at the most recent editorial from the ELN, posted 21 April 2008, I cannot help but notice how much their rhetoric has evolved in recent months.

 

The group is focusing more and more on President Uribe and their allegations of corruption within his administration. It seems that previously the ELN was directing rhetoric toward the State more generally. Now however, all revolutionary propaganda is almost directly related to Uribe. It is interesting to watch the evolution of this group’s rhetoric. It also raises some questions.

 

Most importantly: Why is the ELN’s rhetoric focused so much on Uribe? I surmise that this is because Uribe is managing to win over the hearts and minds of much of the populous. Indeed, Uribe’s administration has a human rights record that is less than impressive and there is clearly monetary corruption going on. However, Uribe is managing to bring stability to many towns and cities, particularly in the once dreadful Guaviare department. If the ELN did not see Uribe as competition for influence among the population, they would probably not pay him much attention.

 

My next question is: What will be the response of the ELN should they lose what little political support that they have? It may be that they will step up military operations in order to avoid extinction. Surely this would be a turn for the worse in regards to the exploratory peace talks currently in hiatus.

 

It is a complex situation. The only suggestion that I would make is to try and ‘kick-start’ the exploratory peace talks before the ELN returns to pursuing a military solution to the conflict more fiercely. Violence has gone down among the group in recent years but this trend could quickly change should the State and the ELN not return to the negotiating table very soon.

 

If you would like to read the recent ELN Editorial, here is a link where it can be viewed: http://www.nodo50.org/eln-voces/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=210&Itemid=1 (en Español).

 

Take care and have a great week,

 

-Pat

 

 

27 April 2008

 

An important development was made yesterday for currently bumpy Venezuelan-US relations. Former presidential hopeful and governor of New Mexico Bill Richardson met with Hugo Chavez in Caracas yesterday to speak on the hostage crisis in Colombia.

 

This is significant for two reasons. Firstly, the Venezuelan government has been labelled by the Bush administration as part of ‘the axis of evil’. A US statesmen meeting with President Chavez is a step towards removing this potentially harmful label from the relationship. Increased dialogue between the two countries is important for the situation in Colombia, as will be expressed in the following paragraph.

 

This second reason has to do with the fact that the US refuses to speak to the FARC and the ELN. Both groups are labelled as Foreign Terrorist Organizations by the State Department. Venezuela does not refuse to speak with the groups and Chavez actually has quite good relationships with each of them. This relationship with Chavez, should it progress, will surely improve any hopes for the US to be apart of a political solution in the conflict.

 

Chavez, though he is not liked by many, may in fact be liaison that can help to set things right in the conflict in Colombia in the long-term. Adding to this, as indicated by Richardson’s visit to Caracas, he is the man who hope is being placed in to solve the current hostage crisis.

 

This story will be closely monitored in the coming weeks.

 

In you are interested in further information on this topic see this Reuters article http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN2639394620080427

 

Thank you for reading,

 

-Pat

 

 

26 April 2008

 

I sent a cover letter and CV to the International Crisis Group field office in Bogotá today. As I have a strong desire to work there, or somewhere like it, I am really eager to receive some sort of feedback.

 

Also, if anyone is interested the D.C. based Center for International Policy: Colombia Project has a researcher doing some fieldwork throughout Colombia right now. There have been some interesting blog posts that include photos and video intereviews. Here is the link http://www.cipcol.org/ 

 

Take care,

 

-Pat