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Colombian Congress ratifies new Farc peace accord | Colombian Congress ratifies new Farc peace accord |
(35 minutes later) | |
Colombia's Congress has ratified a revised peace accord between the government and the Farc rebel group. | |
The House of Representatives unanimously approved the plan, a day after the Senate also gave its backing. | |
President Juan Manuel Santos welcomed what he called "landmark backing" for a start to the process by which thousands of Farc fighters will leave jungle camps and lay down their arms. | |
The first peace accord was narrowly rejected in a referendum in October. | |
The accord aims to end an armed conflict that has killed more than 260,000 people over five decades. | |
Both sides reached an agreement earlier this year after four years of talks in the Cuban capital, Havana. | |
But the surprise referendum result meant the government and rebel leaders had to make changes. The revised accord does not need a second popular vote. | |
President Santos has said that the new proposals are stronger and take into account changes demanded by opponents of the scheme. | |
But opponents, led by former President Alvaro Uribe, say the revised deal is still too lenient on Farc leaders. |