November 24, 2013 -- Updated 1249 GMT (2049 HKT)
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos officially announced he will seek
re-election, a decision that could affect the ongoing peace talks
between the government and the FARC. FULL STORY
With FARC negotiations on table, Colombian president seeks 2nd term
November 21, 2013 -- Updated 1629 GMT (0029 HKT)
Juan Manuel Santos Calderon in New York on September 24, 2013.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Juan Manuel Santos announced he will run for re-election
- Santos has put his efforts into a peace process with the FARC
- The peace process could hinge on the electoral outcome
"You elected me to
strengthen the results that we had achieved in security, and we have
delivered," Santos said in a televised speech Wednesday night.
Santos, who was first
elected in 2010 on a platform of continuing an offensive against the
leftist guerrillas that have been at war with the government for
decades, instead followed a different path.
The hallmark of his
presidency now is the peace process between the government and the
largest rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or
FARC.
Colombia's anti-terror entrepreneur
The peace process has
been ongoing for one year, with progress coming slowly. This approach is
controversial in Colombia, which in the past has been burned by failed
negotiation attempts.
With a peace agreement
unlikely to be in place before next year's presidential election, its
chances of success could be foreshadowed by the vote.
One of Santos' rivals for
the presidency is Oscar Ivan Zuluaga, who has called for an end to the
peace talks and is against giving a political space to the rebels.
Zuluaga's proposal is
backed by former President Alvaro Uribe, a former ally of Santos who now
favors someone with a hardline stance against the guerrillas.
Santos says he wants to be re-elected to finish the peace process he started.
"We still have big challenges, but I'm convinced that the way to confront them is not only through blood and fire," he said.
Santos' current approval rating of about 30% means his incumbency will not guarantee him a second four-year term.
"He thinks that because
of fragmentation among the political parties and that other political
leaders also haven't consolidated supporters, he can be re-elected,"
political analyst Jaime Arango said.
Santos placed all his
political capital on the negotiations with the FARC, so it's natural
that he is seeking re-election, another analyst, Vicente Torrijos, said.
Seeking a second term was his only option given that the peace process is still underway, he said.
"So he is going to
present himself to Colombians and the world as the peacemaker and of
course this is his best calling card to aspire to this re-election," he
said.
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