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During the FARC peace process, we wrote weekly updates. If I had been doing that for the current ELN process, this month I would have written literally thousands of words “full of sound and fury / signifying nothing”.

Parex Resources (TSX: PXT) announced that it will suspend operations in Arauca. Here are the details.

We always face a dilemma when big political news comes out that we think our readers need to know: get it on the website quickly because it is important or wait a few days to see if it ‘blows over’. Holiday weekends complicate things as do periods when we are not publishing. With hindsight, we should have ignored the president’s press release about a ceasefire with the ELN.

Being December, this month normally has diminished expectations for progress on any issue. Traditionally, the political and judicial branches shut down around the 15^th and nothing much happens until after “Reyes” the holiday corresponding to the Epiphany in Anglo-Saxon countries and which Colombia celebrates on the Monday closest to January 6^th. On December 12^th, the government and the ELN released a brief press release with limited, mostly procedural, agreements and shut down for the holidays. Then things really started to happen.

As a gift to Colombians to start the New Year, President Gustavo Petro announced a six-month bilateral ceasefire with five major combatants from across the political spectrum (if one believes that politics really has anything to do with the current combatants). History does not suggest this declaration will mean very much in practical terms but we must be optimistic.

The delegations of the Colombian government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) concluded the first cycle of peace talks. Here are the details.

In a huge sunlight meeting room, in the Hotel Humboldt, high above Caracas, peace talks with the ELN kicked off on the 21^st of November. The parties even announced initial, albeit mostly symbolic, agreements. Colombians celebrate small steps but the country has a long way to go.

The so-called FARC dissidents cause headaches for President Gustavo Petro’s “Total Peace” plan and this month’s debate over enabling legislation brought the issues to the fore, unfortunately without permanent resolution. The ELN process moved a small step and land reform took a giant leap.

President Gustavo Petro and the ELN confirmed the reestablishment of peace talks.

You are probably reading this on October 4^th, 2022, less than two months after Gustavo Petro was sworn in as Colombia’s president. Amongst other broad commitments he said “I will work to achieve true and definitive peace.” Specifically, he announced that he would immediately begin negotiations with the ELN. Shortly after that, Petro began talking about a “Total Peace”, incorporating not only the ELN but the narcos who continue to terrorize parts of the country.