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Colombian president welcomes release of former governor by guerrillas

Xinhua, April 5, 2016 Adjust font size:

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said Monday that he welcomes the release of a former governor held for almost three years by National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrillas.

The ex-chief of the northwestern Choco department was kidnapped in August 2013 and freed on Sunday in the department. Santos said in his official social network that he celebrated the former governor "has returned to his family."

Choco's Secretary of Government Alexander Mosquera also confirmed the release of Patrocinio Sanchez Montes de Oca, saying the news represented the ELN's commitment to the announced peace process with the Colombian government.

"He was returned to freedom ... and as the departmental government, we want the ELN guerrillas to continue these acts amid peace talks," Mosquera told local media outlets.

Santos announced on March 30 the signing of an agreement with the ELN to start peace talks, in the hope that the ELN, the nation's second most powerful insurgent group only after the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), could join the ongoing national peace process.

Bogota hopes the talks will end the half-century conflict between the guerrillas and government forces, which has reportedly killed more than 260,000 people and left 45,000 missing. Endi