Despite the overwhelming support for the peace deal from the U.S. government, Colombian-Americans and Colombians living in the United States largely voted against the accord, which would have ended more than 50 years of conflict with leftist rebels.
Thousands of Colombians in the United States and around the world exercised their right to vote in Sunday’s referendum on whether to support the Colombian government’s peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.
The 34,205 people who cast their votes in the United States were not enough to make a difference in the outcome, but the strong opposition here – 62 percent voted “no” – reflected lingering concerns even with the close relationship between the two countries and President Barack Obama’s effusive support of Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos’s efforts.
Colombians narrowly rejected the deal by less than 54,000 votes out of almost 13 million cast. Turnout was low, with less than 38 percent of the electorate casting a vote. While Colombians are eager for an end to the conflict, many couldn’t accept a proposal that allowed rebel leaders to avoid jail time if they confessed to crimes such as killings and kidnappings.
According to the National Civil Registry in Colombia, nearly 83,000 Colombians voted from other countries of which 54 percent voted “yes.” More than 4, 200 people voted in Canada of which 63 percent voted “yes.” More than 560 voted in Germany of which 87 percent voted “yes.”
The United States was actually one of only a handful of states where the “no” vote prevailed, including Paraguay, with 51 percent voting “no” and United Arab Emirates with 71 percent voting “no.”
Email: fordonez@mcclatchydc.com; Twitter: @francoordonez.
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