Narratives of war and peace in negotiations with the ELN guerrillas

Narratives of war and peace in negotiations with the ELN guerrillas

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5027/psicoperspectivas-Vol25-Issue1-fulltext-3597

Keywords:

ethos of conflict, ethos of peace, political distrust, political ideology, political psychology

Abstract

Peace studies have shown that transition processes depend on transforming the psychosocial infrastructure -cognitions and emotions- of the conflict ethos. Thus, ideological orientation and (dis)trust toward the government or the opposition interact as a psychosocial prism that can facilitate or hinder citizen support for conflict de-escalation. The objective of this study was to examine the interaction between ideological orientation and (dis)trust in shaping emotions and beliefs that act as facilitators or obstacles in President Petro's dialogue with the ELN guerrilla group in Colombia. We conducted an empirical-descriptive study with a longitudinal design, using a questionnaire administered to 1,290 members of civil society, distributed evenly between 2022 and 2023. Results show that initial expectations in 2022 gave way to frustration and insecurity in 2023. Specifically, hope and facilitating beliefs predominated on the left; mistrust and hindering beliefs on the right; and an ambivalent profile with institutional language and instigating beliefs in the center. In conclusion, political mistrust emerges as a central variable, which requires strengthening trust and designing sociopolitical strategies aimed at social cohesion and reconciliation.

Author Biographies

María Idaly Barreto Galeano, Fundación Universitaria Konrad Lorenz

Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Santiago de Compostela. Senior Researcher (Minciencias) affiliated with the Europsis research group (Category A1) in the field of social, political, and community psychology at the Catholic University of Colombia, and Professor in the Doctoral Program in Psychology. Her research focuses on the study of language, political communication, and their implications for conflict de-escalation, reconciliation, and the construction of cultures of peace. She is a member of the Observatory of Digital Social Networks for Studies in Psychology and of the Political Psychology Node of the Colombian Association of Psychology Faculties (ASCOFAPSI).

Diana Rico, Escuela Superior de Administración Pública ESAP

Ph.D. in Contemporary Political Processes, affiliated with the research group “Conflicts and Post-Conflicts from the Caribbean” (Category A) in the area of transitional justice, and Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the Universidad del Norte in Barranquilla, Colombia. Her research focuses on the study of political behavior, social movements, and peacebuilding. She is a member of the Observatory of Digital Social Networks for Studies in Psychology, the Board of Directors of the Colombian Political Science Association (ACCPOL), and the International Scientific Network for Studies in Territory and Culture (RETEC).

José Manuel Sabucedo, Universidad De Santiago de Compostela

Psychologist and Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, where he is a professor in the Department of Psychology. Principal investigator of the Social Behavior and Applied Psychometrics (COSOYPA) research group. His research focuses on social psychology, social movements, behavior and the environment, and attitudes. Member of the Observatory of Digital Social Networks for Psychological Studies.

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Published

2026-03-15

How to Cite

Barreto Galeano, M. I., Rico, D., & Sabucedo, J. M. (2026). Narratives of war and peace in negotiations with the ELN guerrillas. Psicoperspectivas, 25(1). https://doi.org/10.5027/psicoperspectivas-Vol25-Issue1-fulltext-3597

Issue

Vol. 25 No. 1 (2026): From subjective capture to collective imagination

Section

Research Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 María Idaly Barreto Galeano, Diana Rico, José Manuel Sabucedo (Autor)

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