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Colombia holds historic congressional elections amid rebel truce

Xinhua,March 12, 2018 Adjust font size:

BOGOTA, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Colombians went to the polls on Sunday to elect members of Congress in what President Juan Manuel Santos touted as "the most peaceful elections" in decades thanks to peace talks with the country's guerrilla groups.

The former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) are now the Revolutionary Alternative Common Force, a leftist political party that has candidates running for congressional seats.

Meanwhile, Colombia's second-largest guerrilla force, the National Liberation Army (ELN), declared a unilateral three-day truce to allow voting to proceed without incident.

"These elections will be the most tranquil, the most peaceful that we Colombians have had in a long time, in recent history," Santos said, adding "not a single voting station had to be moved for security reasons."

Santos, who cast his vote near the presidential headquarters in Bogota just past 8 a.m., also celebrated the FARC's participation in the electoral process.

"These elections are very special: it is the first time in half a century that the FARC, instead of sabotaging the elections, is participating in the elections ... It is very important for our democracy, and that is what the peace process was about," said Santos.

The FARC's Jorge Torres Victoria, who fought under the name "Pablo Catatumbo," was voting for the first time in his life, and hoping to win a Senate seat.

"In my 64 years, this is the first time I am exercising my right to vote, and I am very happy and very moved to do so for the reconciliation of our country," Torres said via Twitter.

The FARC, which signed a peace pact with the government 15 months ago, is assured 10 congressional seats, five in the Senate and five in the Chamber of Representatives, as part of its peace agreement with the government, but could garner more depending on the number of votes the party gets.

More than 36 million Colombians are eligible to vote for the 166 representatives and 102 senators of Congress, which begins sessions on July 20. Enditem

 

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