First modification:
Five years have passed since the signing of the Peace Agreement in Colombia, a historic pact that put an end to the FARC, the oldest guerrilla in the region, thus ending more than 50 years of confrontations that left thousands of victims. Despite the result of the plebiscite and the opposition that the process had, the then president of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos and the leader of the then FARC, Rodrigo Londoño, managed to sign an extensive document to end the conflict.
The signed document set in motion mechanisms such as the disarmament of the guerrillas, the creation of different institutions that would lead the country to a transition, the forgiveness of the victims, the creation of a new political party, and the investigation of crimes.
Rodrigo Londoño, a former leader of the FARC, entered the Colombian political scene with the creation of the Comunes political party.
The current president of Colombia, Iván Duque, referred to the agreement as a “collective victory.” Although his administration has been pointed out on several occasions of not promoting enough the implementation of the pact, the Government highlights the progress they have made.
Five years later, we take stock of what the signing of this agreement has represented for Colombia and the challenges and setbacks that its implementation has had. Drug trafficking continues, illegal groups gained ground and some of the 13,000 unarmed combatants resumed subversive life, but the recognition of the victims is highlighted, both by the armed group and by the Colombian State, among many others. aspects that we analyze in this edition of El Debate.
To do this, we spoke with our guests: León Valencia Agudelo, director and founder of the Fundación Paz y Reconciliation; Edward Rodríguez, representative to the Chamber in the Colombian Congress for the ruling Democratic Center party; and Naryi Vargas Cáceres, analyst on security issues and member of the research group on armed conflicts, peacebuilding and global studies on security at the Universidad de los Andes.
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