Colombia mulls whether to suspend EMC ceasefire after bombings: defense minister | World News

Colombian President Gustavo Petro is considering completely suspending a ceasefire with the Estado Mayor Central (EMC) rebel group, Defense Minister Ivan Velasquez said on Tuesday, after two bombings attributed to the group in the southeastern province of Cauca.

The explosions occurred on Monday in the cities of Jamundi and Morales. The Morales bomb killed four people, including two police officers.

“It has been the subject of consideration and discussion and is still the subject of analysis,” Velasquez told reporters. “The president is weighing all the elements we provide and ultimately he will decide when and where there will be a ceasefire or not.”

The 3,500-strong EMC are rebels who rejected a landmark 2016 peace agreement between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)formerly the largest guerrilla organization in the country.

Petro has promised to end the 60-year conflict that has killed 450,000 people through new peace deals, but faces significant hurdles, including difficult negotiations with the EMC that began last year.

The EMC began peace talks with the USA Petro government However, last year in March Petro partially suspended a ceasefire with them in three provinces due to violence.

The group has established a pseudo-state in parts of southern Colombia, building roads and schools and further complicating talks.