The Colombian Peace Deal: Making Progress or Problems?

In November 2016, Colombia signed a historic peace agreement that ended more than 50 years of armed conflict between the state and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Yet, ten months after the Colombian National Congress approved the deal, the country remains divided over the success of the accord. Though the vast majority of Colombians continue to support peace with FARC, the initial agreement failed a national referendum because it was perceived to be too lenient. It was then quickly modified and passed by Congress. Since then, some analysts have questioned whether the Colombian government has the resources to fully implement the terms of the deal, and there have been complaints on both sides accusing the other of noncompliance.

To examine the results of the agreement so far, Hudson Institute hosted an event featuring María Fernanda Cabal, a Colombian congresswoman who has represented Bogotá since 2014. Rep. Cabal will comment on key elements of the peace agreement, including land redistribution endeavors, efforts to combat drug trafficking, FARC’s political representation, and the legal ramifications of the extrajudicial Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP). Following her remarks, Rep. Cabal was joined by Ambassador Jaime Daremblum, director of Hudson Institute’s Center for Latin American Studies, and Gabriela Febres-Cordero, a Latin American politician and founder of the United for Colombia Foundation.

To view Congresswoman Cabal's slides, click here.