First politician on trial for ties with ELN

Lozano, member of the Convergencia Ciudadana Party, is accused by the prosecution of having served actively in ELN’s Domingo Laín front in Arauca, in the east of Colombia. The prosecution says Lozano has been identified as an ELN guerrilla by five witnesses.Lozano assures he has no ties with the ELN. On the contrary, the politician says the guerrillas were after him and even confiscated some of his property. He says he was receiving protection from the Police and the DAS, Colombia’s intelligence service, at the time of his alleged membership of the guerrillas.After a series of indictments of politicians accused of having ties with right wing paramilitary groups. Lozano is the first politician to be trialled for alleged ties with armed groups of the left.