Former Colombian president leads effort to derail peace agreement

The right-wing party, Democratic Center, led by former President Alvaro Uribe, has become the flag-bearer for the campaign to reject the peace deal struck between Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

The peace deal will be formally signed on Monday and the following plebiscite has become a matter of "political life or death" for Uribe, who seeks to stand during the 2018 presidential election, said political analyst on Sunday.

With the agreement being put to a national plebiscite on Oct. 2, Uribe is hopeful that the population will decide the deal is too favorable to the FARC and grant many of its members impunity.

According to Uribe's "No" campaign, a rejection of the peace deal does not mean a rejection of peace altogether.

Speaking to the press on Friday, Uribe said that "the agreement gives them an open amnesty for very serious crimes such as drug trafficking...and other crimes against humanity, such as the rape of little girls."

"We are now facing a plebiscite with an armed FARC, who have not begun the disarmament," he added.

Additionally, he fears that the peace agreement "is delivering" the country to the FARC, who will seek to change the economic model.

His campaign, which he says calls for Yes to peace by voting No in the plebiscite, seeks to return to the negotiating table and achieve different terms.

Fernando Giraldo, a political expert from the Pontifical Xavierian University, told Xinhua on Sunday that the plebiscite has become a matter of "political life or death" for Uribe, who seeks to stand during the 2018 presidential election.

"It has become more than a matter of honour, it is about political survival as he has based his political platform on the peace agreement with the FARC. If he triumphs, he would have succeeded in changing the entire conversation," said the analyst.

Giraldo also warned that, if he loses, the Democratic Center would be likely to seek other mechanisms to defeat the peace agreement between the government and the FARC.

For example, "one of their campaign strategies would be to promise the people that, if elected in 2018, they would reverse the agreement. They will turn that election into a fight against the rebel group, which would be a political movement by then," he said.

Recent polls have shown a clear lead for the Yes camp but the opposition has not given up yet.

During the official signing ceremony on Sept. 26, during which Santos will host foreign dignitaries such as President Raul Castro of Cuba, Uribe will be holding a rally of his own.

Named "Colombia Does Not Surrender", the rally will happen at the same time and see a march against the peace deal.

"President Santos is preparing a party, an extravagance, an abuse in Cartagena. Instead of this costly show on Monday, we want debate and arguments," commented Uribe. Enditem