For more than half a century, Colombia has been embroiled in an armed conflict with the left-wing Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group. In October, a peace deal to end the insurgency was rejected in a nationwide referendum. Over the years, repeated attempts at peace talks and a negotiated settlement have failed. In mid-November, the government of Colombia tried again, proposing a new peace agreement meant to address the concerns of those who rejected the original deal. This new deal was ratified by Colombia’s congress on November 30, but the question remains—will it work?
Will the latest agreement be able to produce a stable and lasting peace, or does it risk the country’s social and economic stability? Does the deal go too far in placating the perpetrators of crime and terrorism, supporting impunity for war crimes and preventing imprisonment for guerrilla leaders, as well as granting them political rights? How will it impact the international drug trade, used by the FARC as a means of financial support? What impact will the agreement have on Colombia’s domestic politics, as well as on the rest of Latin America and the United States?
On Friday, December 9, Hudson Institute’s Center for Latin American Studies hosted a conversation with former president and current Sen. Álvaro Uribe of Colombia and Hudson’s John P. Walters on the Colombian peace process and the implications of the latest agreement.
