Colombia: Warning over a no vote on peace referendum

INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED SPANISH VOCABULARY

The man who led the Colombian government to a peace deal with the country’s main leftist rebel group has warned that if the public vote against the deal, it could take 10 years before new negotiations are started.

Humberto de la Calle spent four years negotiating with the Farc in Havana.

At the start of October, Colombians will be asked in a referendum whether they support the peace deal.

Campaigners for a “no” vote believe the deal is too lenient on the Farc.

It includes the possibility of reduced sentences for those who confess early and ask for forgiveness, and amnesty for less serious crimes.

But Mr de la Calle said that if the “no” vote won, the peace process would stop.

“The ‘no’ camp’s idea of renegotiating seems like a massive mistake to me,” he said.