The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to President Juan Manuel Santos for his efforts to end Colombia's long-running civil war

The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to President Juan Manuel Santos for his efforts to end Colombia's long-running civil war

Friday, October 7, 2016 5:23 AM EDT

The president of Colombia was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for pursuing a deal to end 52 years of conflict, the longest-running war in the Americas — five days after the people of Colombia rejected the deal with rebels in a stunning referendum result.

The decision to give the prize to President Juan Manuel Santos may revive hopes for the deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, with whom Colombia has been waging the last major guerrilla struggle in Latin America.

The fate of that deal was thrown into doubt by the referendum on Sunday, which also raised the possibility of a political backlash: One reason the deal came apart was that Colombians felt that FARC was getting too much praise for its willingness to put down its arms after decades of violence.

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