Latin America

Judi Lynn

(160,448 posts) Mon Jun 16, 2014, 02:06 AM Jun 2014

Wall Street Journal: Colombia's Peace Gamble

Colombia's Peace Gamble

Santos wins re-election but now must deal with the FARC.

Updated June 15, 2014 10:28 p.m. ET

One of the world's success stories in the last decade has been Colombia, thanks to free-market economic reform and especially a campaign against domestic terrorists. Now the Latin American nation's people are taking a high-risk gamble that President Juan Manuel Santos's peace process can consolidate those gains.

That's the main message of Mr. Santos's re-election Sunday to a second four-term after an election campaign in which his peace initiative against the Marxist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, was the major issue. Mr. Santos, a defense minister under former President Alvaro Uribe, fell out with Mr. Uribe over the peace negotiations. Mr. Uribe endorsed challenger Oscar Ivan Zuluaga, who opposed the negotiations and forced Mr. Santos into a runoff but lost Sunday by 51% to 45%.

The desire for peace is understandable after a civil war that has cost 200,000 lives, but now Mr. Santos will have to deliver. He vowed during the campaign that there will be no immunity for past crimes, but the FARC is claiming that none of its members will spend a day in prison. They can't both be right.

Mr. Santos also benefited from a 1.9% inflation rate last year and 4.7% average economic growth during his term. But the success of his second term, and perhaps his legacy, will depend on whether the FARC has really chosen to put down its guns.

More:
http://online.wsj.com/articles/colombias-peace-gamble-1402885460

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Funny enough to make a Republican laugh!

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3 replies

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Highlight:

Wall Street Journal: Colombia's Peace Gamble (Original Post) Judi Lynn Jun 2014 OP

I don't call them the Wall Street Urinal for nothing. Peace Patriot Jun 2014 #1

Exactly! What kind of world produces people who see Colombia as a "success story?" Judi Lynn Jun 2014 #2

Colombia has a universal health care system and this link ranks it 22 in the world ahead of Germany Bacchus4.0 Jun 2014 #3

Peace Patriot

(24,010 posts)

1. I don't call them the Wall Street Urinal for nothing.

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Mon Jun 16, 2014, 02:26 AM

Jun 2014

One of the world's success stories in the last decade has been Colombia, thanks to free-market economic reform and especially a campaign against domestic terrorists.--from the OP

Gawd.

Judi Lynn

(160,448 posts)

2. Exactly! What kind of world produces people who see Colombia as a "success story?"

Reply to Peace Patriot (Reply #1)

Mon Jun 16, 2014, 06:27 PM

Jun 2014

Most of the world sees Colombia as the country with the worst human rights record in the Western Hemisphere, the largest displaced population, people driven through terrorism off their ancestral land, worst record of murder of journalists, human rights workers, union workers, indigenous Colombians, African Colombian Colombians, clergy, teachers, helpless campesinos, etc., etc., etc.
[font size=7]BUT[/font] it has been great for some investors who love it for its cheap access to natural resources, its giant, CHEAP labor force, people who are often forced to work without even mediocre compensation, without safety standards, and, of course absolutely no benefits like health insurance, etc.

Yaaaaahooooooo! That's why the WSJ adores Colombia. Wall Street Urinal hits it on the nose.

Bacchus4.0

(6,837 posts)

3. Colombia has a universal health care system and this link ranks it 22 in the world ahead of Germany

Reply to Judi Lynn (Reply #2)

Mon Jun 16, 2014, 08:32 PM

Jun 2014

http://www.businessinsider.com/best-healthcare-systems-in-the-world-2012-6?op=1

Once again showing you are completely clueless and just spouting bs.

p.s. and in the link you posted Colombia has an economic growth rate of almost 5% also has plenty of toilet paper, diapers, and food for its citizens all this despite a terrorist organization operating within its borders whose goal is to violently overthrow the government and institute Marxism.

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