FOR Juan Manuel Santos, Colombia’s president, congressional elections on March 9th were an important signal that “the overwhelming majority of Colombians want peace.” Mr Santos, who supports efforts to reach a negotiated settlement with the country’s FARC guerrillas after 50 years of conflict, saw his National Unity coalition keep its majority in the lower and upper houses of Congress. In fact, the vote mirrors the torn feelings of many Colombians, who support the talks but are uneasy about the possibility of an amnesty for FARC fighters (see chart).Reflecting those qualms was the solid showing of a new party created by Álvaro Uribe, a former president who has assailed the government for its talks with the FARC. Mr Uribe practises a personal brand of politics. He feels deeply betrayed by Mr Santos, who served as his defence minister, was elected president largely thanks to his endorsement, and has subsequently reversed many of his policies.Mr Uribe has claimed that government negotiators are offering the guerrillas impunity for their crimes, which include kidnapping, torture and murder. Mr Uribe’s own father was killed in a kidnapping attempt by...
via The Economist: The Americas http://ift.tt/1oQcaFk
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