Colombia reaches historic pact with rebels

(USAToday) - MIAMI — The longest-running armed conflict in the Western Hemisphere is coming to a close as the Colombian government reached a historic peace accord with rebel leaders Wednesday in Havana.

Negotiators read out a joint statement in Cuba, which has hosted most of the talks, after the final round of negotiations between the leaders of the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC.

"The termination of armed confrontation signifies, most importantly, the end of the enormous suffering the conflict has caused," read the joint statement. "We do not want there to be one more victim in Colombia. The end of the conflict will open a new chapter in our history."

The two sides have battled for five decades in the remote corners of Colombia's jungles and mountains, leaving more than 220,000 Colombians dead, forcing 360,000 to flee the country and displacing about 6.7 million Colombians from their homes.

President Obama called Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos on Wednesday to congratulate him on the historic deal and to pledge U.S. support as the country navigates the difficult road of implementing the peace plan.

The peace accord still must be certified in a national referendum, which will ask voters to approve or reject the deal.

Adam Isacson, who has visited and studied Colombia for nearly 20 years for theWashington Office on Latin America, said Colombians already showed their approval of the peace talks when they re-elected Santos in the 2014 presidential election overÓscar Iván Zuluaga, an outspoken opponent of the negotiations.

"Santos was re-elected in a referendum on the peace process," he said. (FullText)