- Title: Colombians in Spain split over Colombian referendum results
- Date: 3rd October 2016
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (OCTOBER 3, 2016) (REUTERS) STREET, EXTERIOR OF JOSE PAN COLOMBIAN BAKERY SIGN ON DOOR READING (Spanish) "JOSE PAN, THE BEST COLOMBIAN BAKERY," MAN LEAVING BAKERY PEOPLE ENTERING BAKERY GOODS ON DISPLAY, FAMILY EATING WAITRESS DORA ALBA SERVING CUSTOMER CUSTOMER EATING VARIOUS OF ALBA WORKING VARIOUS OF BAKERY WORKERS WORKING COOK MAKING COLOMBIAN STYLE SCRAMBLED EGGS BAKER FRANCISCO LUIS LOPEZ DUMPING CHEESE INTO MIXER (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DORA ALBA, COLOMBIAN WAITRESS, SAYING: "Everyone picks their position, their way of thinking to go forward and their way of clearing their name, but sometimes what happens is that there are things that you can't erase easily just because. One is always hurt because of the family one has lost. If I had not lost family I would have voted 'yes,' but I lost family and it really hit us hard." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ALBEIRO MEJIA, 57, COLOMBIAN TAXI DRIVER LIVING IN SPAIN 15 YEARS, SAYING: "Imagine, they say the money invested in the guerillas is going to be a bad investment, no, I don't think so. For me it will be invested well, because the money spent on troop deployment and the deaths of civilians and military personnel is very high and who pays for that? We do, all of us Colombians, tax payers. So why not pay them to do something productive?" (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FRANCISCO LUIS LOPEZ, 47, COLOMBIAN BAKER, SAYING: "If we continue like this and voted 'yes,' we would have a Colombia that would be the next Venezuela and the next Cuba, and we don't want that. Personally I was not able to vote, but had I been, I would have voted no." WAITRESS PACKING LOAF OF BREAD PEOPLE WALKING PAST NEWSSTAND IN CENTRAL MADRID EL PAIS NEWSPAPER FRONT PAGE WITH HEADLINE READING (SPANISH) "Colombia looks out into the abyss after rejecting peace deal." NEWSPAPERS EL MUNDO NEWSPAPER HEADLINE NEXT TO PHOTO OF FORMER COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT ALVARO URIBE READING "The polls shatter the Santos - FARC deal" NEWSSTAND TRAFFIC GOING PAST STATUE OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS PEOPLE WALKING DOWN STREET AND CHATTING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CRUZ, SPANISH RESIDENT OF MADRID, SAYING: "I don't know. I think Colombia has a tremendous problem and it has been painful for many families, but perhaps people are not ready yet to say 'yes' to the deal." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ANTONIA RUBIO, SPANISH RESIDENT OF MADRID, SAYING: "I think they should have voted in favour because peace is the greatest thing on earth. I think Colombia has experience too many years of war and it needs peace." PEOPLE WALKING DOWN STREET TRAFFIC GOING PAST
- Embargoed: 18th October 2016 15:17
- Keywords: Colombia Referendum FARC Plebiscit Colombians Reaction Agreement Peace War
- Location: MADRID, SPAIN
- City: MADRID, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA00152GBIVB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Colombian's in Spain were split over the results Colombia's referendum on Sunday (October 2) where a peace deal with Marxist guerrillas was narrowly rejected plunging the nation into uncertainty and dashing President Juan Manuel Santos' painstakingly negotiated plan to end the 52-year war.
The "no" camp won by 50.21 percent to 49.78 percent. Voter turnout was only 37 percent, perhaps partly owing to torrential rain through the country.
At Jose Pan, a successful Colombia bakery in Madrid, popular with the Colombia community, the division amongst clients reflected the mood of their home country.
On the one hand opponents of the deal complained that the agreement was too lenient on the FARC rebels and other said the pain of losing family members in the war was too great.
Dora Alba who works as a waitress in a Colombian Bakery in Madrid, said she would have voted 'yes' had she not lost a family member at the hands of FARC rebels.
"Everyone picks their position, their way of thinking to go forward and their way of cleaning their name, but sometimes what happens is that there are things that you can't erase easily just because. One is always hurt because of the family one has lost. If I had not lost family I would have voted 'yes,' but I lost family and it really hit us hard," she said.
Those in favour of the peace deal said the money the government offered to reintegrate rebels into society was worth it.
"Imagine, they say the money invested in the guerillas is going to be a bad investment, no, I don't think so. For me it will be invested well, because the money spent on troop deployment and the deaths of civilians and military personnel is very high and who pays for that? We do, all of us Colombians, tax payers. So why not pay them to do something productive?" taxi driver Albeiro Mejia who has lived in Spain for 15 years said.
For decades, the FARC bankrolled the longest-running conflict in the Americas through the illegal drug trade, kidnapping and extortion.
Battles between the guerrillas, paramilitaries, drug gangs and the army raged in the countryside and there were atrocities committed on all sides.
The conflict took more than 220,000 lives and displaced millions of people. At one stage, the FARC was positioned close to the capital and the state was on the verge of collapse.
Spaniards who followed the events in Colombia said they were disappointed with the results.
"I think Colombia has a tremendous problem and it has been painful for many families, but perhaps people are not ready yet to say 'yes' to the deal," Cruz, a Spaniard said.
For another Spaniard, Antonia Rubio, Colombia made the wrong choice.
"I think they should have voted in favour because peace is the greatest thing on earth. I think Colombia has experience too many years of war and it needs peace," she said.
The vote was a disaster for Santos, who had hoped to turn his focus quickly to other matters including possible talks with the smaller ELN rebel group, a much-needed tax reform and other economic measures to compensate for a drop in oil income. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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