BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) – Colombia may reach an agreement on a bilateral ceasefire with leftist rebels as early as this week, President Juan Manuel Santos said late Tuesday, putting in place the last major building block toward a historic deal to end a half-century of bloodshed.
“We are very close,” Santos said at an event in Bogota. “I pray to God that he gives us strength to finish these accords, hopefully this very week.”
Santos will travel to Cuba Thursday for the announcement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, according to an official close to the talks. The official, who was not authorized to discuss the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity, said U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon would also attend. Both sides in January tasked the U.N. with monitoring adherence to an eventual ceasefire and resolving disputes emerging from the expected demobilization of at least 7,000 armed rebels.
Another official said the ceasefire won’t start immediately but rather the agreement will outline the steps for it to begin when a final deal is inked. Both sides are also expected to present a blueprint for where the FARC troops will demobilize and begin the process of forming a political party.
Colombia’s conflict has killed more than 220,000 people and displaced millions since 1964. But a 15-year, U.S.-backed military offensive has thinned the rebels’ ranks and forced its aging leaders to the negotiating table in 2012.