Juan Manuel Santos

“Ten years ago, we were seen as a virtually failed state, but today we are a vibrant democracy. You can walk safely through the streets of Bogota these days.”

“No one has hit the FARC harder than I. But all wars have to end at some point, and that requires a negotiated solution.”

“The FARC has given up their arms. They are now a political party. They are now doing politics, which is what a peace process was all about.”

“There have been many examples in the world of people doing crazy things because they want to keep war going.”

“There is a lot of inequality in Colombia. We have to correct that.”

“Democracy is like three oxen pulling a plough. The oxen are the independent powers, but you have to walk in the same direction; otherwise, you cannot plough and that is what was happening in Colombia. One ox was walking in one direction, the other in another direction, so the democracy was not working.”

“We in Colombia always hope for Venezuela to prosper.”

“People in the U.K. don't imagine what it is to live in extreme poverty here in Colombia or anywhere in the so-called Third World.”

“During the Cold War, tensions between the West and the Soviet Union affected virtually all countries worldwide. As a result, throughout Latin America, guerrilla groups emerged, seeking to destabilize military dictatorships and attain democracy, freedom, and policy reform - goals that they believed could not be achieved peacefully.”

“Europe would be well advised to pay more attention to Latin America. The emerging economies are the engines of the global economy. Colombia has done too little to improve its reputation in Europe.”

“That's what peace processes are about - changing bullets for votes.”

“I want total peace for Colombia.”

“My ideal - and here, the sky is the limit - is to attract foreign investment via concessions.”

“Uribe and I have very good relations. I owe him loyalty, I admire him, he did great things for our country, and I think that because of what he did, I can now concentrate on different issues, different from what he concentrated on.”

“Protectionism is something that will hurt everybody, but especially the United States.”

“Good friends don't have to visit each other every day.”

“It's in the interest of the U.S. to maintain a strong democracy in Colombia.”

“When I was defense minister, I was very popular, and now that I'm president, I'm unpopular because I'm trying to make peace. It's much easier to make war and get trophies.”

“I think that we are trying to move towards the First World slowly but surely. But we must do a good job for the people left way behind. That's why extreme poverty, for us, is a priority.”

“Believe me, it is much harder to make peace than war.”