UN envoy: Colombian president’s commitments to rural reforms and peace efforts highlight first year

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s commitment to transform long-marginalized rural and conflict areas and new peace efforts were the highlights of his first year in office, the U.N. special envoy for the South American country said. But Carlos Ruiz Massieu condemned the killing of nearly 400 former combatants who signed a 2016 peace agreement. He called for “urgent and concrete measures from the authorities for their protection, as well as that of social leaders and human rights defenders.” He told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday that lagging progress in implementing rural reforms has limited the transformation the 2016 peace accord between the government and Colombia’s then-largest rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, was expected to bring.