Peace talks with Colombia’s largest and oldest guerrilla group, the FARC, will be ready before July 20, President Juan Manuel Santos said Monday.
In spite of having missed two deadlines already, one in 2013 and another on March 23, Santos on Monday again set a time limit on the peace talks that began in 2012 to end more than half a century of war between the guerrillas and the state.
“I believe that by July 20 we will have closed the negotiation in Havana and from there enter a new chapter for the country,” Santos reportedly told coalition lawmakers at a meeting at the presidential palace.
Santos and the government coalition has been promoting the peace deal ahead of a popular vote set to ratify the accord.
However, the president has been under mayor criticism regarding his handling of the negotiations and the released contents of partial agreements.
Santos ‘intimidating’ Colombia to ratify peace talks with FARC
The peace talks are meant to end 50 years of armed conflict that has cost more than 265,000 lives and has displaced almost 7 million Colombians.