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| Colombians divided on failed peace referendum: 'We need to move forward' | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Colombia was plunged into uncertainty after a proposed peace deal between the government and Farc guerrillas was narrowly voted down in a referendum on Sunday. President Juan Manuel Santos and rebel leaders have pledged to keep negotiating and met again in Havana on Tuesday, but the nation remains deeply divided after 50.2% of voters rejected the agreement and 49.7% supported it. | Colombia was plunged into uncertainty after a proposed peace deal between the government and Farc guerrillas was narrowly voted down in a referendum on Sunday. President Juan Manuel Santos and rebel leaders have pledged to keep negotiating and met again in Havana on Tuesday, but the nation remains deeply divided after 50.2% of voters rejected the agreement and 49.7% supported it. |
| We asked Colombian readers for their views on the outcome of the vote and what they think it will mean for the nation’s future. | We asked Colombian readers for their views on the outcome of the vote and what they think it will mean for the nation’s future. |
| Michael Leyden, yes vote: ‘I am disappointed’ | Michael Leyden, yes vote: ‘I am disappointed’ |
| I am disappointed for Colombia. The peace accord is an imperfect document but I thought the balance between peace for the country and justice for victims was fair. The voter turnout was 38%, which is a reflection on the lack of engagement of the people. Sí campaigners did not prepare people for the referendum and urban voters chose to follow on social media. [The] no campaign marshaled their supporters and brought out their vote. A return to a terrorist campaign is frightening for an already afflicted people. | I am disappointed for Colombia. The peace accord is an imperfect document but I thought the balance between peace for the country and justice for victims was fair. The voter turnout was 38%, which is a reflection on the lack of engagement of the people. Sí campaigners did not prepare people for the referendum and urban voters chose to follow on social media. [The] no campaign marshaled their supporters and brought out their vote. A return to a terrorist campaign is frightening for an already afflicted people. |
| Jaime Roso, yes vote: ‘A new deal will not be reached’ | Jaime Roso, yes vote: ‘A new deal will not be reached’ |
| Unfortunately, at this point I do not think a deal can be reached. The no voters want something very specific that the guerrillas will simply not accept (jail time and no participation in politics). As “imperfect” as it was, the deal they had reached was the best possible. The guerrillas will not accept no participation in politics and jail time for their leaders, and [former Colombian president Álvaro] Uribe’s movement will not budge from that. Neither the guerrillas nor the army are saints here, but both had actually bent from their initial positions. What the “no” voters are asking for is simply a breaking point. | Unfortunately, at this point I do not think a deal can be reached. The no voters want something very specific that the guerrillas will simply not accept (jail time and no participation in politics). As “imperfect” as it was, the deal they had reached was the best possible. The guerrillas will not accept no participation in politics and jail time for their leaders, and [former Colombian president Álvaro] Uribe’s movement will not budge from that. Neither the guerrillas nor the army are saints here, but both had actually bent from their initial positions. What the “no” voters are asking for is simply a breaking point. |
| I think there will be a desperate attempt to renegotiate certain aspects of the original deal and I think that attempt will fail. Once it becomes clear that the opposition will not budge from their fixed view, the Farc will leave the table and we will have another 50 years of war. Whether this happens in one week, one month, one year or 10 years is another matter, but the fact is that a new deal will not be reached. | I think there will be a desperate attempt to renegotiate certain aspects of the original deal and I think that attempt will fail. Once it becomes clear that the opposition will not budge from their fixed view, the Farc will leave the table and we will have another 50 years of war. Whether this happens in one week, one month, one year or 10 years is another matter, but the fact is that a new deal will not be reached. |
| Carlos, no vote: ‘More compromise, less arrogance’ | Carlos, no vote: ‘More compromise, less arrogance’ |
| A little more compromise by the rebels, regarding material reparation for victims and justice. Less arrogance by the government, who went abroad to promote the peace deal when it hadn’t even sold at home. It’s clear that the government failed to grasp the desires of at least half of the Colombian population, leaving the accords very lacking in legitimacy. | A little more compromise by the rebels, regarding material reparation for victims and justice. Less arrogance by the government, who went abroad to promote the peace deal when it hadn’t even sold at home. It’s clear that the government failed to grasp the desires of at least half of the Colombian population, leaving the accords very lacking in legitimacy. |
| Colombian political leaders must now acknowledge that we are, indeed, so very close to peace, but that in order to reach it both Farc guerrillas and government negotiators have to bring the opponents of the agreement to the table in order to give the 50.2% of the population that voted no the guarantees they ask for and respect the desires and hopes of the 49.7% who voted for peace. | Colombian political leaders must now acknowledge that we are, indeed, so very close to peace, but that in order to reach it both Farc guerrillas and government negotiators have to bring the opponents of the agreement to the table in order to give the 50.2% of the population that voted no the guarantees they ask for and respect the desires and hopes of the 49.7% who voted for peace. |
| Juan, no vote: ‘I am extremely optimistic’ | Juan, no vote: ‘I am extremely optimistic’ |
| The agreement gave the wrong message to society as criminals were rewarded with injustice, money and political representation. What we [Colombian society] got back was very little considering how weak they are. I am extremely optimistic. Much more than before. I am certain the Farc have been defeated militarily and politically. President Santos, in the rush to become an international figure, miscalculated democracy. [Former president Álvaro] Uribe [who led the no campaign] has a unique opportunity to prove that beyond political beliefs he is a statesman. He needs to give a hand to Santos and together forge a stronger agreement which will be more credible and sustainable. | The agreement gave the wrong message to society as criminals were rewarded with injustice, money and political representation. What we [Colombian society] got back was very little considering how weak they are. I am extremely optimistic. Much more than before. I am certain the Farc have been defeated militarily and politically. President Santos, in the rush to become an international figure, miscalculated democracy. [Former president Álvaro] Uribe [who led the no campaign] has a unique opportunity to prove that beyond political beliefs he is a statesman. He needs to give a hand to Santos and together forge a stronger agreement which will be more credible and sustainable. |
| German de la Torre, yes vote: ‘A national embarrassment’ | German de la Torre, yes vote: ‘A national embarrassment’ |
| [The no vote] is a national embarrassment. Rejecting a unique, almost surreal opportunity to start a process of hope and surely immense hard work towards finally achieving peace, something that all Colombians craved madly almost from birth, can only be explained within the darkest realms of magic realism. | [The no vote] is a national embarrassment. Rejecting a unique, almost surreal opportunity to start a process of hope and surely immense hard work towards finally achieving peace, something that all Colombians craved madly almost from birth, can only be explained within the darkest realms of magic realism. |
| Cuceta, yes vote: ‘We need to forgive’ | Cuceta, yes vote: ‘We need to forgive’ |
| We as Colombians should read more and inform more ourselves! We need to forgive and open our hearts to a new beginning! We need to understand it is a negotiation and both parts are trying to avoid bad consequences! The government needs to involve more the voice and the opinion of the people in the negotiations. We Colombians should learn to forgive and to think that only peace can defeat war. | We as Colombians should read more and inform more ourselves! We need to forgive and open our hearts to a new beginning! We need to understand it is a negotiation and both parts are trying to avoid bad consequences! The government needs to involve more the voice and the opinion of the people in the negotiations. We Colombians should learn to forgive and to think that only peace can defeat war. |
| Anonymous, no vote: ‘Liberties shouldn’t be granted to terrorists’ | Anonymous, no vote: ‘Liberties shouldn’t be granted to terrorists’ |
| Colombians want peace, but not to any cost. I’m relieved and optimistic. It’s a chance to achieve a better deal. Santos was giving more than deserved to the narco-guerrillas. Political liberties shouldn’t be granted to terrorists guilty of atrocities. | Colombians want peace, but not to any cost. I’m relieved and optimistic. It’s a chance to achieve a better deal. Santos was giving more than deserved to the narco-guerrillas. Political liberties shouldn’t be granted to terrorists guilty of atrocities. |
| Ivan, yes vote: ‘We need to unite’ | Ivan, yes vote: ‘We need to unite’ |
| The peace agreements are not about a political parties, they are not about impunity, they are not about the rise of socialism, they are about unity. We need to unite as a country. | The peace agreements are not about a political parties, they are not about impunity, they are not about the rise of socialism, they are about unity. We need to unite as a country. |
| The referendum showed just how divided we are. Even worse, how indifferent we are. Just look at the portion of voters that did not even bother to go to the polls. We need to unite and reach every single one in our country. We need to keep moving forward. The referendum results are what they are, now we must renegotiate the deals. The clock is ticking. And the victims are still waiting. | The referendum showed just how divided we are. Even worse, how indifferent we are. Just look at the portion of voters that did not even bother to go to the polls. We need to unite and reach every single one in our country. We need to keep moving forward. The referendum results are what they are, now we must renegotiate the deals. The clock is ticking. And the victims are still waiting. |
| Anonymous, no vote: ‘Like supporting Pablo Escobar’s crimes’ | Anonymous, no vote: ‘Like supporting Pablo Escobar’s crimes’ |
| [I want] a fairer deal that meets the following conditions: | [I want] a fairer deal that meets the following conditions: |
| Anonymous, no vote: ‘It shows we are responsible people’ | Anonymous, no vote: ‘It shows we are responsible people’ |
| I have never been prouder of my country. It shows we are responsible people. I think that Colombians, despite their common wish for peace, know that a peace badly done means more trouble for the future. Imagine a future Farc member trying to live in a society where 6 million people mistrust them and consider that they haven’t paid and learned in any way all the harm and crime that they have done. How can they mingle in a society that rejects them? Imagine the first Farc congressman murdered by a paramilitary or a resentful family member of a victim. The odds of this happening in the Colombia of the yes vote were very high. We need the no half of Colombia to trust that Farc really wants peace, and for that we need to know what is going to happen with the biggest production of cocaine in the world – which is run by them. | I have never been prouder of my country. It shows we are responsible people. I think that Colombians, despite their common wish for peace, know that a peace badly done means more trouble for the future. Imagine a future Farc member trying to live in a society where 6 million people mistrust them and consider that they haven’t paid and learned in any way all the harm and crime that they have done. How can they mingle in a society that rejects them? Imagine the first Farc congressman murdered by a paramilitary or a resentful family member of a victim. The odds of this happening in the Colombia of the yes vote were very high. We need the no half of Colombia to trust that Farc really wants peace, and for that we need to know what is going to happen with the biggest production of cocaine in the world – which is run by them. |
| And all the money that they have received from this lucrative crime? This last point is not only a Colombian matter, it concerns the whole world. Farc’s drug trade produces more death than their revolutionary fight. It has to be a peace which properly tackles the drugs angle. | And all the money that they have received from this lucrative crime? This last point is not only a Colombian matter, it concerns the whole world. Farc’s drug trade produces more death than their revolutionary fight. It has to be a peace which properly tackles the drugs angle. |
| Alex Camilo Duran, yes vote: ‘It reveals important weaknesses’ | Alex Camilo Duran, yes vote: ‘It reveals important weaknesses’ |
| The results are unfortunate because they reveal important weaknesses in our democracy – one of, if not the oldest in the region – as well as structural flaws behind the electoral exercise of the referendum. The most glaring of them all is the political apathy present in a significant majority of the population and the inability of our political class to attract and include voters in the political process; the official voter turnout was 37.41%. Furthermore, the results are profoundly unjust because they reflect how predominantly urban voters in the center of the country decided (in a misinformed manner) on the future of those on the rural periphery, as the results show a sharp divide between these two groups. | The results are unfortunate because they reveal important weaknesses in our democracy – one of, if not the oldest in the region – as well as structural flaws behind the electoral exercise of the referendum. The most glaring of them all is the political apathy present in a significant majority of the population and the inability of our political class to attract and include voters in the political process; the official voter turnout was 37.41%. Furthermore, the results are profoundly unjust because they reflect how predominantly urban voters in the center of the country decided (in a misinformed manner) on the future of those on the rural periphery, as the results show a sharp divide between these two groups. |
| The departments in the center of the country, including various major urban centers, voted against the accords while the departments in the rural periphery, including many areas which have been most impacted by the economic and social costs of the conflict, overwhelmingly supported the accords. Linked to the topic of apathy and injustice is that of misinformation, and how a significant number of voters against the accords based their vote on traditional family values, namely a perceived threat to them due to a dramatic expansion of LGBT rights under the accord. Such expansion was not dramatic and LGBT rights are only tangentially mentioned in the crucial chapters of the accord concerning integral rural reform and political participation. | The departments in the center of the country, including various major urban centers, voted against the accords while the departments in the rural periphery, including many areas which have been most impacted by the economic and social costs of the conflict, overwhelmingly supported the accords. Linked to the topic of apathy and injustice is that of misinformation, and how a significant number of voters against the accords based their vote on traditional family values, namely a perceived threat to them due to a dramatic expansion of LGBT rights under the accord. Such expansion was not dramatic and LGBT rights are only tangentially mentioned in the crucial chapters of the accord concerning integral rural reform and political participation. |