Two public opinion polls released on Wednesday indicate that the recently peace deal between the government with the FARC is likely to be ratified by Colombia’s electorate on Sunday. President Juan Manuel Santos and FARC leader “Timochenko” signed peace on Monday, but before this agreement can be fully ratified, Colombians will vote on the deal in a referendum first.
Speaking to the media just days after the signing of the historic peace agreement in Colombia and ahead of the 2 October national poll in which Colombians will have their say on the accord, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights reiterated that his Office (OHCHR) will continue to follow the progress of the human rights aspects of the agreement.
United States Secretary of State John Kerry met Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Monday, the first formal encounter between the two since Kerry became the top U.S. diplomat. The two sat down together after a ceremony in the Colombian city of Cartagena de Indias to mark the signing of a peace agreement to end a 52-year armed conflict.
Following the peace agreement signed in Colombia, only three main issues remain pending in the Americas, devolution of Guantanamo to Cuba, the Falklands/Malvinas dispute and a sea outlet for Bolivia, according to Bolivian president Evo Morales who hailed the deal rubricated on Monday in Cartagena before world leaders.
As thousands of Colombians offered both hope and skepticism, the government of Colombia and FARC Marxist rebels who fought a bitter civil war for more than half a century signed a historic peace accord on Monday, closing the Western Hemisphere's longest armed conflict. The deal will have a first test next Sunday when the Colombian people will vote on a referendum.
Conflicts over land in Colombia are likely to increase following a peace deal to end half a century of war as once no-go areas in the Andean country open up for business and development projects, land rights experts said. The government and rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) are due to sign a peace accord Monday to end Latin America's longest-running conflict, which has killed 200,000 people.
When the Colombian government and Marxist rebels FARC sign the final peace accord this Monday to end a 52-year guerrilla war, a US envoy from the Obama administration will be one of the special guests at the signing ceremony.
The Vatican announced Wednesday that, although Pope Francis is pleased about a peace deal between the government of Colombia and the country’s guerrillas, he has declined a request to have a Vatican envoy help select judges for a new peace tribunal.
British Prime Minister Theresa May spoke with President Juan Manuel Santos to congratulate him about the historic peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). President Santos thanked the UK for its central role in helping reach the agreement.
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon applauded on Monday Argentina's commitment and strong partnership with the UN and its cooperation with other countries. Ban Ki-moon arrived in Buenos Aires from Paraguay and previously from Brazil where he was part of the inauguration of the Rio Olympic Games.