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| In Colombia, Two Rebel Groups Take Different Paths | In Colombia, Two Rebel Groups Take Different Paths |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| BOGOTÁ, Colombia — The crowd gathered here in the capital, wearing white shirts and waving campaign signs, as what had once been Colombia’s largest rebel group opened its campaign for the presidency. | BOGOTÁ, Colombia — The crowd gathered here in the capital, wearing white shirts and waving campaign signs, as what had once been Colombia’s largest rebel group opened its campaign for the presidency. |
| But at a northern port, bombs exploded as a different group continued to attack. Five police officers were killed and more than 40 were wounded in the city of Barranquilla in a bombing at a police station. A faction of the National Liberation Army, the guerrilla organization known as the E.L.N., claimed responsibility. | But at a northern port, bombs exploded as a different group continued to attack. Five police officers were killed and more than 40 were wounded in the city of Barranquilla in a bombing at a police station. A faction of the National Liberation Army, the guerrilla organization known as the E.L.N., claimed responsibility. |
| The contrasting scenes this weekend highlight the challenge Colombia now faces in its road to peace. While the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC, have signed a peace deal with the government and entered politics, many guerrillas of the E.L.N. seem bent on pressing their long battle against the state. | The contrasting scenes this weekend highlight the challenge Colombia now faces in its road to peace. While the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC, have signed a peace deal with the government and entered politics, many guerrillas of the E.L.N. seem bent on pressing their long battle against the state. |
| On Monday, President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia, whose government had been negotiating with the rebels in Ecuador, said he was suspending the talks. | On Monday, President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia, whose government had been negotiating with the rebels in Ecuador, said he was suspending the talks. |
| “My patience and the patience of the people has its limits,” Mr. Santos said to applause from residents of La Palma, a town he was visiting about 50 miles from the capital. Mr. Santos said the negotiations would remain frozen until “there’s a coherence from the E.L.N. between their words and their actions.” | “My patience and the patience of the people has its limits,” Mr. Santos said to applause from residents of La Palma, a town he was visiting about 50 miles from the capital. Mr. Santos said the negotiations would remain frozen until “there’s a coherence from the E.L.N. between their words and their actions.” |
| For Colombians, it was more bad news about the prospect for peace. Earlier in the month, members of the E.L.N. said they would not extend a short-lived cease-fire that expired this month. Now, some feared more killings are looming. | For Colombians, it was more bad news about the prospect for peace. Earlier in the month, members of the E.L.N. said they would not extend a short-lived cease-fire that expired this month. Now, some feared more killings are looming. |
| “I think Colombia is in for several weeks of pointless bloodletting,” said Adam Isacson, an analyst at the Washington Office on Latin America, a Washington-based human rights organization. | |
| Mr. Isacson recalled a similar episode in 2015 when the FARC, during its negotiations, killed 11 soldiers, setting off an outbreak of violence that rocked the country. | Mr. Isacson recalled a similar episode in 2015 when the FARC, during its negotiations, killed 11 soldiers, setting off an outbreak of violence that rocked the country. |
| Ending the conflict with the E.L.N., most here agree, will most likely prove to be even more of a challenge than ending the one with the FARC was. | Ending the conflict with the E.L.N., most here agree, will most likely prove to be even more of a challenge than ending the one with the FARC was. |
| The E.L.N., a Marxist-Leninist organization founded in the 1960s, is more ideological than the FARC and is considered less hierarchical. Individual factions often act autonomously — at times over the objections of commanders. | The E.L.N., a Marxist-Leninist organization founded in the 1960s, is more ideological than the FARC and is considered less hierarchical. Individual factions often act autonomously — at times over the objections of commanders. |
| Some leaders have joined peace talks, while others openly reject any negotiation. All seem increasingly desperate in a war that seems unwinnable, analysts say. | Some leaders have joined peace talks, while others openly reject any negotiation. All seem increasingly desperate in a war that seems unwinnable, analysts say. |
| “The E.L.N. seems lost, even trapped, with limited options, which makes them take erratic steps in different directions,” said Kristian Herbolzheimer, who follows the group at Conciliation Resources, a nongovernmental group that focuses on conflict reduction. | “The E.L.N. seems lost, even trapped, with limited options, which makes them take erratic steps in different directions,” said Kristian Herbolzheimer, who follows the group at Conciliation Resources, a nongovernmental group that focuses on conflict reduction. |
| That disorder was on display in the bombings this weekend. | That disorder was on display in the bombings this weekend. |
| They began Saturday when two motorcyclists threw explosive devices at a police station in Barranquilla, killing five and wounding 40. | They began Saturday when two motorcyclists threw explosive devices at a police station in Barranquilla, killing five and wounding 40. |
| In a second strike, two officers were killed and a third was wounded in the rural state of Bolivar. Then early Sunday another station was attacked, this time leaving four police officers and three civilians wounded. | In a second strike, two officers were killed and a third was wounded in the rural state of Bolivar. Then early Sunday another station was attacked, this time leaving four police officers and three civilians wounded. |
| At first the authorities blamed organized crime groups, but late Sunday evening, a branch of the E.L.N., identifying itself as the Front of Urban Warfare, released a communiqué claiming responsibility for the first attack. Colombia’s government later blamed the E.L.N. for the other two attacks. | At first the authorities blamed organized crime groups, but late Sunday evening, a branch of the E.L.N., identifying itself as the Front of Urban Warfare, released a communiqué claiming responsibility for the first attack. Colombia’s government later blamed the E.L.N. for the other two attacks. |
| For many Colombians, the communiqué marked the first time they had heard of the E.L.N. faction. Even some guerrilla leaders were baffled. | For many Colombians, the communiqué marked the first time they had heard of the E.L.N. faction. Even some guerrilla leaders were baffled. |
| “We know about the same as you through media reports and the communiqué,” said one guerrilla commander, who identified himself as Uriel Gómez, in a text message to The New York Times. | “We know about the same as you through media reports and the communiqué,” said one guerrilla commander, who identified himself as Uriel Gómez, in a text message to The New York Times. |
| It was a contrast to the FARC political party, which spent the weekend unified under its former commander, Rodrigo Londoño, who launched his presidential bid in a downtrodden Bogotá neighborhood. | It was a contrast to the FARC political party, which spent the weekend unified under its former commander, Rodrigo Londoño, who launched his presidential bid in a downtrodden Bogotá neighborhood. |
| While Mr. Londoño, who is still wanted in the United States on drug trafficking charges, is considered a long-shot to win in the first round of voting in May, his campaigning emphasized the rebel group’s continued commitment to peace. | While Mr. Londoño, who is still wanted in the United States on drug trafficking charges, is considered a long-shot to win in the first round of voting in May, his campaigning emphasized the rebel group’s continued commitment to peace. |
| “I promise to lead a government that propels the birth of a new Colombia,” Mr. Londoño told a crowd of FARC members and supporters, who waved flags emblazoned with the group’s new logo — a red rose. “A government that at last represents the interests of the poor.” | “I promise to lead a government that propels the birth of a new Colombia,” Mr. Londoño told a crowd of FARC members and supporters, who waved flags emblazoned with the group’s new logo — a red rose. “A government that at last represents the interests of the poor.” |
| Yet the speech was overshadowed by the rebel attacks, which other presidential candidates seized on as evidence that Mr. Santos has been too soft on both FARC and E.L.N. guerrillas. | Yet the speech was overshadowed by the rebel attacks, which other presidential candidates seized on as evidence that Mr. Santos has been too soft on both FARC and E.L.N. guerrillas. |
| “I’ve been condemning it for a long time, and I will keep doing so, that the E.L.N. is taking advantage of the dialogue in Ecuador to strengthen itself militarily in Colombia,” said Germán Vargas Lleras, a presidential contender who was Mr. Santos’s vice president during the peace negotiations. | “I’ve been condemning it for a long time, and I will keep doing so, that the E.L.N. is taking advantage of the dialogue in Ecuador to strengthen itself militarily in Colombia,” said Germán Vargas Lleras, a presidential contender who was Mr. Santos’s vice president during the peace negotiations. |
| Few politicians openly support the peace deal, which remains deeply contentious among Colombians who rejected it in a 2016 referendum. And with only months left in Mr. Santos’s term it seems increasingly likely that ending the conflict with the E.L.N. will fall to the next government. | Few politicians openly support the peace deal, which remains deeply contentious among Colombians who rejected it in a 2016 referendum. And with only months left in Mr. Santos’s term it seems increasingly likely that ending the conflict with the E.L.N. will fall to the next government. |
| “The E.L.N. know that this government only has five months left — there’s nothing for them to negotiate with this government, so they say why bother?” said Ariel Avila, deputy director of the Peace and Reconciliation Foundation, a Bogota-based think tank. | “The E.L.N. know that this government only has five months left — there’s nothing for them to negotiate with this government, so they say why bother?” said Ariel Avila, deputy director of the Peace and Reconciliation Foundation, a Bogota-based think tank. |