Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said Thursday he agreed to extend a cease-fire deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in hopes of reviving a failed peace accord.
The original cease-fire agreement between the Colombian government and the FARC was due to expire at the end of October, but will now extend through the end of the year.
Voters narrowly rejected the deal with 50.2 against, or by a margin of just 54,000 votes. The result came as a shock to Colombian leaders as public opinion polls leading up to the vote forecast the referendum would pass by a two-to-one margin.
Santos is engaged in ongoing negotiations with FARC representatives and opposition politicians to strike a new peace deal, though expectations for a deal remain low because FARC leaders refuse to budge on the already-signed peace accord and opponents say the rebels need to accept tougher terms.
Many "no" voters were genuinely offended that nearly all FARC rebels will avoid prison time for crimes allegedly committed during the uprising and get various financial support from the government.