Colombia's Santos to seek reelection in 2014

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said on Wednesday that he would run for reelection in 2014 with the aim to finally achieve a peace agreement with the rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). During a nationwide broadcast, Santos confirmed that the peace talks with the FARC have prolonged more than he expected, for which he asked Colombians to give him a second chance to consolidate and achieve peace for the conflict-ridden South American country. The peace talks aimed at solving the country's decades-old civil war have lasted for a year in Havana. The two sides have agreed on two of the five key points on the agenda, including land reforms designed to narrow the gap between farmers and landowners, which triggered the conflict in the 1960s. Since first elected president in 2010, Santos has been attempting to reduce poverty and unemployment rates in Colombia. After highlighting all these efforts, Santos also expressed his willingness to finish all the work he has left to do. A recent poll put Santos ahead of four other possible candidates, including former Bogota mayor Clara Lopez Obregon, and former Finance Minister Oscar Ivana Zuluaga, a close ally of former President Alvaro Uribe.