Colombia Polls Give President Santos “Mandate for Peace”

Reelected for a second term Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos claims to have a mandate for wrapping up a peace process with FARC after five deades of war. Santos’ opponent Oscar Ivan Zuluaga criticized methods of peace negotiations and failure to levy sanctions against rebel groups. The opponent promised stricter conditions on the peace talks, threatening to break them off unless the rebels ceased hostilities immediately. Also during the election campaign Zuluaga used the motto, “peace without impunity,” arguing that the rebels should be jailed after they demobilize. Meanwhile, negotiators have reached agreements in three points of the agenda established in 2012: land reform, future political participation and drug trafficking. – YaleGlobal