PRISA and the Fundación Buen Gobierno host the forum "The benefits of peace in Colombia"

"Colombia will be a country to live without fear,"  said Santos, during his conversation with the Executive Chair of PRISA of EL PAÍS, Juan Luis Cebrian, at the forum 'The benefits of peace in Colombia "organized at the club El Nogal in Bogota by PRISA and the Fundación Buen Gobierno (Good Government Foundation), with the collaboration of El País and La W radio and Caracol Radio. Speaking of the momentous vote on October 2, Santos said "I believe in the intelligence and the wisdom of the Colombian people. Who desires a return to war or going back? This will give us a great opportunity for the future, for people to come forward with total confidence that they will not be attacked. "

The announcement of the peace agreement between the government and FARC, that ended 52 years of conflict, came last August 24, effectively marked the beginning of one of the most convulsive weeks in recent memory in Latin America – with Colombia, finally, offering some positive news. Soon after, came news of the impeachment of Dilma, the massive opposition marches in Venezuela and Mexico's political crisis following the visit  of Trump. However, the Colombian president was convinced that neither institutional or economic uncertainty would likely affect the development of post-conflict Colombia. 

During his talk with Santos, Cebrián echoed the thoughts of the day’s discussions and hailed the new path torwards towards building peace, which according to PRISA’s Executive Chair "depends on social enthusiasm – it will pose a challenge far greater than negotiation. What we have negotiated is the end of the conflict. I can only hope that those who are against this process see an opportunity to build peace as a nation,” said Santos. 

Ahead of the talks between Cebrián and Santos, there was debate too on the future, the economy, on integration, and on the challenges ahead. The former president Cesar Gaviria, who leads the campaign for the yes in the plebiscite of October 2, defended the agreements reached in Havana: "It’s strange to see international types coming along now with such minutiae          

The most emotional moment came from Martha Luz Amorocho, who was  making her return to a fateful place: the club El Nogal that the FARC blew up in 2003,killing her son along with 35 others.It was at this site of so much pain and horror in the Colombian capital that Amorocho embraced a former guerrilla. "In that attack died visitors, workers, club members, but also guerrillas. They didn’t even achieve their goal. He was a boy, of the age of my children, but we are able to turn the page ".

You can read the full story here.

MORE INFORMATION

•      FOTOGALERÍAColombia debate sobre un futuro en paz
•      Felipe González: “¿Imaginan lo que Gabo estaría disfrutando de un día como hoy?”
•      “Las víctimas queremos cambiar la historia”
•      Héctor Abad: “El relato del posconflicto debe estar centrado en la verdad”
•      In English: “Colombians will not understand those who want to stop history”