The president’s announcement, made in a televised address, extends a bilateral cease fire that was scheduled to expire on Oct. 31. Mr. Santos said prolonging the cease fire shouldn’t be seen “as an ultimatum nor as a deadline” on three-way talks that are now taking place among his government, the opposition and the rebels to save an accord that was turned back by voters on Oct. 2.
“But I hope that this process to have a new accord is over much sooner,” Mr. Santos said.
To an outsider like myself, this gives the appearance of pressuring the Colombians for a new deal while buying more time for the FARC to regroup and strengthen as they have in the past.
