section_path: Ideology
section_name: Ideology
paragraph_text: Ideology
  
  The ideology of ELN has been described as "Catholic Marxism", as well as "Marxism-Leninism interspersed with revolutionary Catholicism", and the organization embraces Roman Catholic morality, which makes the group heavily utilize the concept of martyrdom and refuse to take part in the Colombian drug trade. ELN also stresses Catholic moralism, including the need to "live with dignity" by adhering to Catholic teaching. The ELN has had links with the Catholic Church ever since its foundation in 1964, as it included "Catholic radicals" amongst its founders. It adheres to liberation theology, which includes the notion that Catholicism requires the creation of a fair and equal society based on socialist principles, and an anti-imperialist agenda that primarily targets corporations active in the Colombian extractive sector. The Catholic character of the party was further developed by its former leaders, Camilo Torres Restrepo and Manuel Peréz, who were Catholic priests.
  
  Apart from its Catholicism, the ELN is heavily tied to Revolutionary Cuba and Castroism. The founders of ELN trained in Havana, and the organization follows the ideology of foquismo based on writings of Che Guevara; thus its ideology is also described as a "Che Guevara type of communist ideology". José Míguez Bonino classified ELN as a Castroist and Guevarist movement, noting that Cuba was closely involved in the training and preparation of its foundation. The ELN did not adhere to either the Soviet or Chinese ideological lines and instead became independent, which resulted in the organization accepting clergy into its ranks.