Juan Manuel Santos

After a half-century of combat that spilled blood across this South American nation, Colombians have embarked on a new, but difficult path to settle their political differences with the signing of a historic peace accord between the government and leftist rebels.

Tens of thousands of people protested in more than 20 cities across Colombia on April 2 against President Juan Manuel Santos and his government's peace process with the FARC guerrillas.

More than 3,100 pregnant Colombian women are infected with the mosquito-borne Zika virus, President Juan Manuel Santos said on Feb. 6, as the disease continues its rapid spread across the Americas. 

There are 25,645 people infected with Zika in Colombia, Santos said during a TV broadcast with health officials. Among them are 3,177 pregnant women. 

US President Barack Obama announced a $450 million plan to fund Colombia's peace process on Feb. 4, shaking up a controversial military aid program that defined relations for 15 years.

Hosting President Juan Manuel Santos at the White House, Obama said that as the country's 50-year conflict with leftist FARC guerrillas winds down it was time to rethink "Plan Colombia."  

The United Nations Security Council on Jan. 25 approved the creation of a U.N. mission of unarmed international observers to monitor disarmament should Colombia's government and leftist FARC rebels reach a deal to end Latin America's longest war.

The Colombian government and FARC rebels will sign a definitive peace deal within six months to end a half-century of conflict, President Juan Manuel Santos said on Sept.23, as the two sides announced a major breakthrough.

Colombia and Venezuela recalled their ambassadors on Aug. 27 for consultations, amid mounting tensions that began nearly a week ago when Caracas closed off their shared border.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos on July 25 ordered a halt to air strikes against the Marxist-inspired FARC rebels, giving a major boost to stop-start peace talks.

The Colombian government reached a major de-escalation agreement on July 12 with leftist FARC guerrillas, agreeing for the first time to reduce anti-rebel operations in the decades-long armed conflict, diplomats in Havana said.

President Juan Manuel Santos has replaced Colombia's top military leaders, days after the release of a Human Rights Watch report alleging complicity by the country's top brass in extrajudicial killings of civilians.