Ashish Kumar Sen

Colombian President Ivan Duque said on February 14 Nicolás Maduro should relinquish his hold on power in Venezuela and face trial for crimes against humanity. He also called on the Venezuelan military to support Juan Guaidó, who is recognized by a number of countries, including the United States, as the interim president of Venezuela.

Pushing for Peace in Colombia Two ground realities in Colombia—former guerrillas gathered in remote rural cantonments with scarce infrastructure and nationwide elections in the spring of 2018—make it imperative that a peace agreement that is acceptable to all sides is quickly found, according to Kevin Whitaker, the United States’ ambassador to Colombia.

Plebiscite Leaves Colombia’s Peace Process in Limbo   On October 2, Colombian voters rejected a peace accord with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas. This was a “surprising” outcome of a plebiscite that has thrown into question the prospects for peace in the country, according to Atlantic Council analysts. 

Lessons from Colombia’s Peace Process Colombia’s government and the leftist rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) on August 25 finalized a deal that ends fifty-two years of conflict. A bilateral ceasefire went into effect on August 29. More than 220,000 people have been killed and six million displaced by the armed conflict. The deal will be put to the Colombian people in a plebiscite scheduled to be held on October 2. What lessons does the Colombian experience hold for peacemakers looking to end wars raging around the world—from Syria to South Sudan?

Winning the Peace in Colombia  On the brink of ending Latin America’s longest-running armed conflict, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos must now make a concerted effort to convince Colombians that the peace deal he struck with the leftist guerrillas is worthy of their support.

Colombia Stands on the Brink of Peace  On the cusp of signing a bilateral ceasefire that will end Latin America’s longest running war, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos must ensure that the peace deal with leftist rebels is implemented to the letter—particularly ensuring justice for the victims—and shore up support for the agreement among Colombian voters, according to Latin America analysts at the Atlantic Council.

Colombia’s President Santos Faces Next Big Challenge—Selling His Peace Deal  Colombia’s President, Juan Manuel Santos, wholeheartedly believes that his attempt to end the Western Hemisphere’s longest-running war will bear fruit, the big challenge, however, will be convincing Colombians that “peace is going to be marvelous.” “Most Colombians have never seen one single day of peace… They think peace might be bad,” Santos said in Washington on February 3. He compared this terrified reaction to that of a prisoner who is to be released after spending decades behind bars. “We have to teach them that...It is much better to have peace than it is to have war,” he added. Colombia’s President, Juan Manuel Santos, seen here accepting the Atlantic Council’s Global Citizenship Award in New York in October of 2015, said in a speech in Washington on February 3 that he is confident that a majority of Colombians will eventually support his peace deal with leftist guerrillas. (im...

Colombian President Santos' Quest for Peace The Atlantic Council will honor Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos with its Global Citizen Award in New York on October 1 in recognition of his unwavering commitment to make peace with leftist guerrillas and end Latin America’s longest-running war.