Obama proposes aid to reintegrate FARC rebels back to Colombia society

Global Business

The White House is proposing nearly half a million dollars a year to help rebuild the South American country of Colombia, after more than 50 years of conflict.

Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos just wrapped up a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama.

CCTV America’s Jessica Stone reports from outside the White House in the U.S. capital of Washington.

The offering is well over the 300 million dollars that Colombia got from the U.S. last year, and the idea may face opposition in Congress.

Nevertheless, the U.S. is a long-time donor to Colombia, which has already received around 10 billion dollars from the United States over the past 15 years.

The U.S. president said the new injection of money will be used to reinforce the Colombian government’s security gains, and will go to help FARC rebels reintegrate into Colombian society.


Former US DEA Michael Vigil on US-Colombia economic relationship

CCTV America’s Rachelle Akuffo spoke with Michael Vigil, a former U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Chief of International Operations, about the economic ties that the U.S. and Colombia have had through the years.


Latin America pundit Lisa Haugaard on significance of Colombia’s presidential visit to the US
CCTV America’s Asieh Namdar spoke with Lisa Haugaard about what the Juan Manuel Santos visit. Lisa Haugaard works with The Latin America Working Group and just returned from the White House reception.

Translation: “Just as U.S. President Barack Obama said, this isn’t an ending, it’s a beginning. The new chapter of the alliance between the U.S. and Colombia is #PeaceColombia”