September 25, 2015 Samuel George

A New Day in Colombia? Conversation with President Juan Manuel Santos

On September 24, 2015, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and leaders of the FARC guerrilla announced a breakthrough in peace negotiations that could end a conflict that has plagued the country since the 1960s.

For five decades, Colombia has been gashed and divided by a vicious civil conflict that has killed thousands, displaced millions, and prevented the country from pursuing truly comprehensive development. However, at Thursday’s press conference, the two parties announced critical progress on thorny issues such as the transfer of weapons and punishment for human-rights violators. A deadline for a final deal was set for six months from now.

As part of the ongoing GED series The Crossroads, Samuel George recently interviewed President Santos about what a peace deal would mean for Colombia. As we continue to finalize The Crossroads: Colombia, we wanted to share the video of this interview in advance.

See President Santos’ full remarks in this short video.