Colombia, rebels announce breakthrough in peace talks after decades of conflict

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and leftist guerrilla commanders are announcing an important breakthrough in peace talks that sets the stage to end Latin America’s longest-running armed conflict. In a joint statement, Santos and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia said Wednesday they have overcome the last significant obstacle to a peace deal by settling on a formula to compensate victims and punish belligerents for human rights abuses. Santos flew to Havana, where talks have been going on for three years, to make the announcement alongside his longtime nemeses.

I want to recognize and value the step that the FARC has taken today. We are on different sides but today we advance in the same direction, in the most noble direction a society can take, which is toward peace.

Colombian President Jan Manuel Santos

Santos said Colombia’s government and the FARC have reached an agreement to sign a definitive peace deal within 6 months. The deal includes the creation of special courts and a broad amnesty, though this will not cover “crimes against humanity, serious war crimes” and other offenses including kidnappings, extrajudicial executions and sexual abuse, said officials from Cuba and Norway, the guarantors in the talks. Santos has also promised he’ll give Colombians the chance to voice their opinion in a referendum and any deal must also clear Congress. Even before details have become known, conservative critics lashed out at what they said was excessive lenience on the part of the government.

Santos, it’s not peace that’s near, it’s the surrender to the FARC and the tyranny of Venezuela. Without jail time for the commanders, there will be a deal in Havana but also a recipe for more violence in Colombia.

Former President Alvaro Uribe

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