BOGOTA, Colombia—By winning the Nobel Peace Prize, President Juan Manuel Santos got a big boost on Friday in his efforts to save an agreement seeking to end Colombia’s half-century conflict.
The prize, announced by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, puts pressure on both conservative critics and leftist rebels to find a way forward after the shocking defeat of the accord in an October 2 referendum.
Santos dedicated the prize to his fellow Colombians, especially the victims of the bloody conflict, saying it would redouble his commitment to end hostilities that left 220,000 dead and almost 8 million displaced.
“I invite everyone to bring together our strength, our minds and our hearts in this great national endeavor, so that we can win the most important prize of all: peace in Colombia,” Santos said alongside his wife in his first public appearance after being notified he had won in a predawn phone call from their son.
Colombians are split on their support for the peace deal.
Some see it as the best chance in a generation to halt the conflict with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC); others are outraged that rebels behind scores of atrocities, from kidnappings to attacks on civilian targets, probably, will never spend a day in prison and, instead, be reserved seats in congress to smooth their transition into a political movement.
The accord’s defeat in the referendum by the narrowest of margins—less than half a percentage point—humiliated Santos, especially since polls had predicted it would pass by an almost 2-1 margin. He had signed the deal with the FARC just six days earlier in front of world leaders.
Now he’s scrambling to save the accord. This week he dispatched negotiators to Cuba, to see if the FARC will make additional concessions, and presided over meetings with opponents led by his former ally turned archrival: ex-President Alvaro Uribe.
Uribe, who inflamed widespread hatred of the rebels by warning that the peace deal would take Colombia down the path of communist Cuba, emerged as the big victor in the referendum and is pushing for harsher punishment for the FARC.
But he’s been conciliatory so far, and even sent Santos a congratulation of sorts on winning the Nobel.
“I hope it leads to a change in the accords that are damaging for our democracy,” Uribe said in a message on Twitter.
Image credits: AP/Fernando Vergara