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Colombia vote: Santos re-elected as president | Colombia vote: Santos re-elected as president |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Juan Manuel Santos has won re-election in Colombia's most dramatic presidential contest in years. | Juan Manuel Santos has won re-election in Colombia's most dramatic presidential contest in years. |
Mr Santos won nearly 51% of votes and saw off his right-wing challenger Oscar Ivan Zuluaga, who had 45%. | Mr Santos won nearly 51% of votes and saw off his right-wing challenger Oscar Ivan Zuluaga, who had 45%. |
Correspondents say the victory will be seen as an endorsement of the president's ongoing peace talks with the left-wing Farc rebel group. | Correspondents say the victory will be seen as an endorsement of the president's ongoing peace talks with the left-wing Farc rebel group. |
Mr Zuluaga had said he would halt the talks unless the rebels ceased all hostilities. | Mr Zuluaga had said he would halt the talks unless the rebels ceased all hostilities. |
Mr Santos, 62, will be inaugurated in August for a new four-year term. | Mr Santos, 62, will be inaugurated in August for a new four-year term. |
"This is the generation of peace. Millions of Colombians have chosen hope over fear," Mr Santos said in an address to supporters at his headquarters. | |
"Thank you very much, Colombians! Your support means we will have to worker even harder," he said. | "Thank you very much, Colombians! Your support means we will have to worker even harder," he said. |
Mr Zuluaga, who had won the first round of voting in May by a narrow margin, accepted defeat in a speech to supporters in his headquarters. | |
He vowed to continue his fight to "defend the life and the liberty" of all Colombians. | He vowed to continue his fight to "defend the life and the liberty" of all Colombians. |
He also thanked his political mentor, former president Alvaro Uribe, who will be sworn in as senator in August and is expected to lead the opposition to the government. | He also thanked his political mentor, former president Alvaro Uribe, who will be sworn in as senator in August and is expected to lead the opposition to the government. |
Talks in Cuba | Talks in Cuba |
With almost all the votes counted electronically, results were announced one hour after polls closed. | With almost all the votes counted electronically, results were announced one hour after polls closed. |
There were no reports of major problems or irregularities, says the BBC's Arturo Wallace in Bogota. | There were no reports of major problems or irregularities, says the BBC's Arturo Wallace in Bogota. |
Nearly 48% of the 33 million Colombians registered to vote took part in the election. | Nearly 48% of the 33 million Colombians registered to vote took part in the election. |
Despite concerns in Colombia about high crime and unemployment, the campaign focused on the peace negotiations with the Farc, launched by Mr Santos in November 2012. | Despite concerns in Colombia about high crime and unemployment, the campaign focused on the peace negotiations with the Farc, launched by Mr Santos in November 2012. |
The talks, which are being held in Cuba, are aimed at ending five decades of conflict. | The talks, which are being held in Cuba, are aimed at ending five decades of conflict. |
Mr Santos expects a deal to be signed by the end of the year, with the Farc giving up their armed struggle and joining the legal political process. | Mr Santos expects a deal to be signed by the end of the year, with the Farc giving up their armed struggle and joining the legal political process. |
Government negotiators and rebel leaders have held several rounds of talks in the Cuban capital, Havana. | Government negotiators and rebel leaders have held several rounds of talks in the Cuban capital, Havana. |
They have agreed on three points of the agenda drawn up in 2012 - land reform, future political participation and drug trafficking, which is allegedly the main source of income for the rebels. | They have agreed on three points of the agenda drawn up in 2012 - land reform, future political participation and drug trafficking, which is allegedly the main source of income for the rebels. |
Three other points remain to be agreed on - the rights of the victims, disarmament of the rebels and the implementation of the agreement. | Three other points remain to be agreed on - the rights of the victims, disarmament of the rebels and the implementation of the agreement. |