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The newspaper La Jornada
Saturday, August 3, 2024, p. 19

Bogotá. Colombian government negotiators yesterday expressed their provision to resume peace talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN), frozen by the guerrillas, and to extend the ceasefire that ends today.

We are aware that time is running out to prepare the necessary conditions for the new extension and, for this reason, we agree with you on the option of making a technical extension of the ceasefire.said negotiators Vera Grabe and Iván Cepeda.

The letter responds to a request made the day before yesterday by the United Nations Verification Mission and the Catholic Church, in which they asked the parties to renew the truce in place since August 2023 and which will expire at midnight today.

Execution of young Coco Fernández confirmed

Néstor Gregorio Vera, alias Iván Mordisco, head of the self-proclaimed Colombian Central General Staff (EMC), confirmed on July 31 the execution of young David Coco Fernández, a member of the front line, close to the Historic Pact and who had joined the dissidents of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

Mordisco said the 25-year-old died at the hands of a rival group under the command of Alexander Díaz Mendoza, alias Calarcá, reported the news outlet El Colombiano.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro condemned the young man’s death. Meanwhile, Angélica Soler, Coco Fernández’s mother, says that her son was taken by force. “I don’t understand where they got the information that my son left voluntarily. They forced him to go there,” she told Semana news.

He disappeared on November 26, 2022. I saw him on Friday the 25th, we had lunch together. On Saturday, when I came home from work after the 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. shift, I thought he had already had lunch and was in his room, but when I went in he wasn’t there. He had left his cell phone and computer on, as well as some papers and a university book on the desk, and I never heard from him again after that.he said.