Talking About Colombia

Successful peace talks that lead to the end of the FARC could reduce tensions between Colombia and Venezuela and Ecuador. In the past, Colombia has accused Hugo Chavez and Rafael Correa of harboring the FARC.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro, said, “Venezuela has everything to gain from peace. We have a 2,200-kilometer border from point to point, and peace will help strengthen integration projects, economic development, the creation of joint economic zones. … It’s the great opportunity for all these projects that sometimes are truncated to reopen for good.”

Colombia is Latin America’s fourth largest economy, and the end of the FARC would mean a boost in foreign investment.

A disarmed FARC could lead to a new left in Colombia, a country that has elected solidly right and center-right candidates as president. Voters will be less inclined to link leftist candidates to guerrillas. Hopefully, however, that will not mean Colombia takes on a 21st Century socialism á la Chavez.

But the end of FARC does not mean the end of the drug trade. Another group will be happy to fill the gap.