Juan Manuel Santos

Colombia finds peace brings burdens

Central & South America

Fresh from winning a Nobel Peace Prize, Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos must find a way to implement the complicated peace agreement that ended a 40-year civil war. Battling criminal gangs, restoring land to displaced people, and absorbing tens of thousands of guerrilla fighters back into society will be a difficult task. Coca and corruption remain huge problems, and Mr. Santos’ ruling party must fend off a powerful adversary in Alvaro Uribe, an opponent of the peace deal who will challenge in next year’s elections.

Global Outlook 2017: Latin America’s Trump problem

North America

Geography will have a big impact on Latin America in the coming year: the closer a country is to the United States, the worse off it will be. What President Donald Trump does will shape developments in the region, as will the prices of key commodities. If Mr. Trump decides on collaboration instead of unilateral demands, however, the region could see positive developments.

Colombia’s peace pact: now comes the hard part

Central & South America

The Colombian government and the FARC guerrillas have signed a long-awaited peace agreement. Now comes the hard part: making it work. There is no guarantee that Colombians will approve the deal in a referendum on October 2. If they do, there will be many other challenges ahead, including asserting state control over the entire country and reintegrating fighters into society. Though all of that will be difficult, the alternative is much worse.

Global trends: Latin America seeks growth as leaders straggle

Central & South America

Latin America has reached an inflection point. Recent developments suggest that parts of the region will make significant economic strides over the next few years. However, its two biggest economies – Brazil and Mexico – are stuck in the doldrums, and their politics may be in even worse shape. <i>This report is par...

Special Report on Colombia: a country on the mend

Central & South America

Over the past few years, Colombia has been one of Latin America’s economic success stories. Now, as the civil war that ravaged it for 50 years finally approaches a negotiated end, the country is looking forward to collecting a vast peace dividend. Projections for 2015 and 2016 place Colombia among the fastest growing nat...

Colombia makes positive economic and social progress

Central & South America

Colombia has a host of problems but the government of President Juan Manuel Santos is making real progress on several fronts. The economy is outperforming most of its Latin American neighbours and foreign direct investment is pouring in. Peace talks to end 50 years of violence from the guerilla group Farc continue but further reforms are needed to reduce inequality...

Santos aims to make 2015 the year of peace for Colombia

Central & South America

Colombia faces a host of interlocking problems, but its president could achieve a landmark peace negotiation in 2015 and resolve other outstanding issues for its economy. Its rich natural resources have helped Colombia outperform its Latin American neighbours but there is work to do in reforming taxes, the justice system and making it more attractive to foreign dir...

Santos faces three challenges to exploit Colombia’s potential

Central & South America

Peace negotiations with Marxist rebels, more foreign direct investment and better social stability – those are the challenges facing newly re-elected Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos. State incapacity and inefficiency are barriers to progress, but if the conflict with the guerrillas ends, most economists believe that in five years Colombia would be a member o...

VIDEO: Colombia's chance of peace at stake if voters reject Santos

Central & South America

Rebels, drugs and corruption: Colombia’s realism is not so magical

Central & South America

Colombia appears to be a stable democracy with a sound economy. But FARC armed rebels occupy around a quarter of the country, drug production and trafficking are rife, and major landowners – some linked to paramilitaries and organised crime – control parliamentary seats. The on-going peace talks in Cuba with the Marxist fighters will be a major factor in presidenti...