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BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) \u2014 Two police officers who were held hostage for almost a year by Colombia\u2019s<\/a> largest remaining rebel group were released Tuesday, the nation\u2019s human rights defender\u2019s office said.<\/p>\n Their release comes days before the presidential election in Colombia, where candidates have debated continuing peace talks with the group.<\/p>\n Esley Hoyos and Yordin Fabi\u00e1n P\u00e9rez, two members of an elite unit that cooperates with Interpol, were kidnapped in July 2025 by the National Liberation Army, or ELN, while they were investigating crimes against community leaders and human rights defenders in Arauca, a province along Colombia\u2019s border with Venezuela.<\/p>\n The rebels used their own internal justice system to put the officers on trial for espionage and belonging to an agency that is \u201ccommitting crimes against humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n President Gustavo Petro launched peace talks with the ELN in 2022, but suspended negotiations with the group last year, following a string of attacks in northeast Colombia that displaced more than 56,000 people from their homes.<\/p>\n The two presidential candidates propose different approaches to the talks.<\/p>\n Abelardo de la Espriella, a conservative lawyer running on a tough-on-crime platform who won the most votes in the first round, has promised to take a more combative approach toward rebel groups like the ELN. He has said he will cancel peace talks between the government and illegal armed groups.<\/p>\n His rival, Sen. Iv\u00e1n Cepeda, has said he will continue the talks as long as rebel groups respect the rights of community leaders and others in areas under their control.<\/p>\n