President Gustavo Petro s plan for total peace in Colombia: Takeaways from AP s report | iNFOnews infotel.ca - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from infotel.ca Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Across Colombia, decades of war between leftist guerrillas, rightwing paramilitaries, trafficking groups and the government have left more than 9.5 million people – nearly 20% of the population – as victims of forced displacement, homicide, sexual violence and more. As conflict in the country grows more complex, with mutating armed groups warring for control, Colombia’s rebel-turned-president Gustavo Petro has promised to cement “total peace” and end one of the world’s longest-running conflicts. WHAT IS COLOMBIA PRESIDENT PETRO'S PLAN? Petro aims to rewire how the South American nation addresses endemic violence, replacing military operations with social programs tackling the conflict’s roots, including poverty in violence-torn areas like Buenaventura, a coastal city of 450,000 people and Colombia's busiest port.
Colombia’s ambitious plan to end decades of violence with guerillas and drug traffickers has dragged on for months with mixed success. Critics fear that gangs are taking advantage of cease-fires, while armed groups fear retribution if they demobilize.