Controversy over the revision of the Colombian economic model at the dialogue table with the ELN

Participation of society in building peace, democracy for peace, transformations for peace, victims, ending conflict and implementation are the six points agreed between the delegations of the government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) to develop over the following years dialogue cycles.

If it is true that the second (‘democracy for peace‘) offers a comprehensive review of the participation level that the different social actors have in the democratic exercisestarting with the guarantees and “the legal situation of persons accused and sentenced for acts of development of social mobilization”, also intend “to examine, from a democratic perspective, the business modelthe political regime and the doctrines which hinder national unity and reconciliation”.

The tripartite link between democracy, peace and economic model, not very obvious for some, forced the chief negotiator of the government delegation, Otty skateto explain why this is a topic for discussion at the Table:

The ace illegal savingswhich enter the national income, by injecting companies incorporated before the law, must be examined in the table, so it is not a question of capitalism, but of illegality.

“There are many people who feel that it is possible, within capitalism we do not speak of a critique of the capitalist system, but it is to see if the development model based on the supremacy and dictatorship of the markets is the system that works for us,” he added.

In the same way that the Table will discuss the harmful actions for the environment, the steps towards a sustainable development and the support for small and medium-sized farmers.

“There are people in small communities who see that all agricultural development has had problems with inputs, as of course it has to do with a model that takes no account of ecosystems and that the only thing that matters is ‘extracting what is needed from the land .. which he has at the expense of nature,’ he said.

Among the points to be debated, it is not clear if the ELN will end up laying down their arms and if, as they have asked the government, the State transform how you use it.

“As part of the new circumstances generated by this process, an ELN arms agreement will be built, in line with the strategy to defeat violence and neutralize arms and warmongering,” the agenda reads. .

Paul Beltranthe guerrilla chief negotiator, says this is an issue that could be addressed, as long as a consensus is reached, which involves room and room change.

In this regard, his counterpart, Otty Patiño, said that “the issue of weapons for them is an issue that, as in all the guerrillas who have used and based their protection on weapons, is an issue with an uncertain future.” and not very close.

However, it has been made clear in saying that before an agreement is reached final, must be agreed the “abandonment of weapons, that weapons become useless to protect their lives. For the development of politics, what is inadmissible is that they do it with a gun on their shoulder. It’s totally out of the question.”