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Ten years ago, we were seen as a virtually failed state, but today we are a vibrant democracy. You can walk safely through the streets of Bogota these days.
Juan Manuel Santos
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Juan Manuel Santos
Age: 73
Born: 1951
Born: August 10
Economist
Journalist
Lawyer
Politician
President Of Colombia
Bogota
Colombia
Juan Manuel Santos Calderón
State
Failed
States
Ten
Today
Streets
Years
Walk
Walks
Democracy
Vibrant
Days
Safely
Seen
Virtually
More quotes by Juan Manuel Santos
I remember in 2000, when President Clinton came to Cartagena just before Plan Colombia started, the country was on the verge of becoming a failed state. Today, we are one of the most solid democracies, where institutions are working, where the scandals such as false positives have come to light because of those functioning institutions.
Juan Manuel Santos
At this moment, I don't think people would back the old-fashioned Marxist-Leninist ideas of FARC. But I do hope that the rebels will continue to pursue their agenda by legal means and not through violence.
Juan Manuel Santos
I fight terrorism as if there was no peace process, and I negotiate the peace process as if there was no terrorism.
Juan Manuel Santos
Where do you draw the line between peace and justice? If you ask the victims, they want more justice if you ask the potential victims, they want more peace.
Juan Manuel Santos
The fight against drug trafficking by the Colombian government has been present, and the Americans themselves are the first to recognize that.
Juan Manuel Santos
The notion that you do not negotiate with terrorists is not the history of humanity or of the world.
Juan Manuel Santos
The Bolivarian revolution has no future and it has shown a lack of results.
Juan Manuel Santos
If we act together on the drug problem, with a comprehensive vision devoid of ideological or political biases, we will be able to prevent much harm and violence!
Juan Manuel Santos
Unfortunately, my rivals are spreading all kinds of suspicions for political reasons that are absolutely not true. They've tried accusing me of agreeing to dismantle the army, of jeopardizing private property, of giving the pensions of policemen to the guerillas - all kinds of lies. What they want is for people to be afraid of peace.
Juan Manuel Santos
Colombia is a different country today. The state is now present in every single corner, the drug lords are in jail or dead. So we have the means to guarantee the security of FARC politicians.
Juan Manuel Santos
We must rebuild Colombia, starting with ourselves, our hearts, put resentment aside, put hatred aside, put envy aside. The only thing that those attitudes accomplish is to sow violence and sow death and suffering.
Juan Manuel Santos
More than 70 percent of Colombians want peace. The rest are afraid of the price to be paid. But even they will realize that their worst fears will not come true. I'm quite optimistic that Colombians do back an agreement with the FARC.
Juan Manuel Santos
Europe would be well advised to pay more attention to Latin America. The emerging economies are the engines of the global economy. Colombia has done too little to improve its reputation in Europe.
Juan Manuel Santos
Uribe and I have very good relations. I owe him loyalty, I admire him, he did great things for our country, and I think that because of what he did, I can now concentrate on different issues, different from what he concentrated on.
Juan Manuel Santos
If we are giving judicial benefits to one part, we should give them to the other part as well.
Juan Manuel Santos
Social housing, education, health, jobs and sustainable surroundings. Those are my priorities.
Juan Manuel Santos
Waging war is much more popular than negotiating, because there you need to compromise.
Juan Manuel Santos
There are times for making war and times for making peace.
Juan Manuel Santos
The rebels will be thinking about retaliation, what we have to do is stop stop and transform it into a spiral of forgiveness and reconciliation.
Juan Manuel Santos
Democracy is like three oxen pulling a plough. The oxen are the independent powers, but you have to walk in the same direction otherwise, you cannot plough and that is what was happening in Colombia. One ox was walking in one direction, the other in another direction, so the democracy was not working.
Juan Manuel Santos
