CARTAGENA – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Committee on Foreign Relations, traveled to Colombia with Secretary of State John Kerry and other American dignitaries to witness the signing of the peace accord between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) Monday. Senator Cardin released the following statement:

“To witness firsthand the formal conclusion of the world’s longest civil war is a powerful and moving experience. 

“Today’s signing is a historic turning point toward a new day and a brighter future for Colombia. The accord has the unanimous support of FARC’s leadership as well as the apparent majority of the Colombian people, which leave me optimistic as the nation prepares for a referendum shortly to affirm the path of peace.

“That’s a path they deserve to travel after a half century of violence and destruction that left hundreds of thousands dead and an astounding seven million people internally displaced. The conflict took a particularly devastating toll on young men and women on both sides, impacting generations.

“Beyond today’s signing, the work of peace is a never-ending endeavor and there must be serious commitments to justice, accountability, and reconciliation by all parties if Colombians are to achieve the future they deserve.”

###