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Colombian Voters Reject Peace Deal With FARC as Referendum Fails by Small Margin

© REUTERS / John VizcainoColombia's President Juan Manuel Santos (L) and Colombian First Lady Maria Clemencia de Santos arrives at congress to present the FARC peace accord to the Colombian Congress in Bogota, Colombia, August 25, 2016.
Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos (L) and Colombian First Lady Maria Clemencia de Santos arrives at congress to present the FARC peace accord to the Colombian Congress in Bogota, Colombia, August 25, 2016. - Sputnik International
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Voters opposed a landmark peace deal with FARC rebels in a shocking referendum outcome as 50.24% of voters opposed the deal.

Colombian voters killed a breakthrough peace agreement signed last week by President Juan Manuel Santos and FARC leader Timoleon Jimenez after nearly four years of negotiations by a razor thin margin in a nationwide referendum.

FARC rebels had agreed to lay down their weapons after nearly 52 years of conflict in order to join the political process, but the deal required approval by the voters with many international political analysts believing that a vote in favor of peace was all but certain.

The decision by voters came despite a ominous warning by President Santos that there was no "Plan B" for the agreement that between the militant group and the government to end the war that has killed over 260,000 people.

Yet, with votes in from more than 99% of polling stations across the country, 50.2% voted in opposition to peace while 49.8% voted for the agreement, a razor-thin difference of less than 63,000 voters out of 13 million ballots.

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