Speech by Juan Manuel Santos (Partido de la U), Cucuta, May 10, 2014, two weeks before the first round of the elections.





Cucuta, May 10, 2014 (Press Campaign JMS) -. "Good afternoon, Norte de Santander! Good afternoon, Colombia! How good, how wonderful to be here in the center of Cucuta, received by such warmth, by this generosity, for that love, that excitement of Norte de Santander, the cucuteños, of all Colombians. Thank you. This is what gives me gasoline and enthusiasm to move forward looking for our goals, seeking peace in this country.


I want to thank everyone for their welcome, enthusiasm. This is happening in Colombia is very important. The next elections will determine whether we as a country decided to take a step forward, do a whole wonderful rope, achieve peace and progress, or if we decide to turn around, return to the past, to continue the war and continue to suffer the consequences.


Here I have some Norte de Santander, a cucuteños, who are examples of excellence, which are examples of what Colombians can do: Olympic champions, here they are, those at the point of discipline, training, managed to be world champions. Thanks guys. With them I spent a few months in Chile and I said, 'Guys, win!'. And they won. That's what we do on 25 May. Colombians, Norte de Santander, cucuteños, win, win!


Who would have imagined four years ago, when I was here in Cucuta and promised them to cucuteños, the Norte de Santander, Colombians, we would progress decreeing free education, we were going to reduce poverty as never before, we were going to make investments in Families in Action, in reducing poverty through the Red States, give gratuity to all students in the eleventh grade level zero, so they can attend school?


All this and much more: we would have the strongest economy in our history? In four years we have met. Today we can say without doubt that we are better than we were four years ago. Who would have thought we were going to take down the FARC's number one, number two of the FARC and that we would have these little angels there in Havana negotiating peace? Nobody gave a nickel for that possibility.


Or that we would connect all the municipalities of Norte de Santander and the country with the technology, fiber optics, and we did. We would increase the number of children vaccinated free 100 percent, and we did. We were going to build the best roads that will connect Norte de Santander with the rest of the country, and we are achieving.


All this is thanks to the National Unity has been accompanying us. Here I see that National Unity, here I see the Liberal Party, here I see the Party of the U, here I see Radical Change, here I see many conservatives, here also see to many Greens, I see representatives of a party I just joined this cause for peace: the Indigenous Social Alliance Movement. Here too, I see. I see all Colombia. I see the most important thing we have in this country: the women of Cucuta, the nortesantandereanas women.


For women it is a message: a few days ago I proposed labor inspector, because I will assure women that the law that we pass in Congress so that women are not discriminated against, are protected from violence and pay them alike than men for the same work, that is guaranteed. And I'm going to become inspector of work for women.


I see these young people here too, which always give much heat to campaigns. A special greeting to young people, people of African descent, indigenous communities, throughout Colombia.


Tell those young people who are making a revolution because we are giving thousands of thousands of young people the opportunity, for the first time, going to college, going to the Seine. We are giving subsidies through the Youth in Action program, through grants zero-interest credit, practically a gift. And we are opening in the next four years 400,000 additional quotas in universities, so that our young people to continue studying after graduating from high school and succeed to get a decent job.


I was here in Cucuta few weeks ago. Discussed with all employers, with all the spokesmen of the different communities, the difficulties they are having on the situation in Venezuela, and made a decision: we will give Cucuta a new future through stimulating industry here in Cucuta, the investment here in Cucuta, without neglecting trade, which has been instrumental in this city.


So we are creating a Special Economic Zone, a special free zones. We're talking to large companies in the country to come and take advantage of those conditions. We are building roads, so that the products of such production may go to domestic markets and create more jobs.


Here comes in two weeks the Department of Social Prosperity, with five billion pesos to emergency employment contract directly. Starting Monday, Bancóldex has 70 billion pesos to water them by family businesses, microenterprises and medium enterprises to create more economic activity and more jobs.


Here we are increasing the number of Families in Action. A community mothers we are giving them their full wages. We are increasingly stirring up the Red States. Older adults tell them the following: we have increased the number of elderly beneficiaries of the program to 1 million 300 thousand. In the next four years, all adults over Cúcuta and Norte de Santander will have that benefit. There's the silver and already the program.


So we move forward in this social investment. We have made the largest investments in the history of Norte de Santander, history of Cucuta: the aqueduct, which is already under construction, will HELP YOU problem to Cucuta, Villa del Rosario, Los Patios, by next 50 years. They will not have more problems with drinking water. That is a reality.


We have already shown that they can, but there is a situation I have come to ask, to ask for their support. You know that games are won in the second half. And I want the Cúcuta Deportivo return to the first division, I want you to give me your support in order to play the second half and unemployment keep scoring goals, scoring goals follow poverty, keep scoring goals insecurity. But above all I would like you to help me stick a Olympic goal, as well as bend and enters the goal, and the goal of peace. That is the goal I want you to help me get.


People ask me why I want peace and I answer: I do not want more mothers in Colombia bury their children, but the children bury their mothers, as it should be. I answer to those who ask me why I want peace: because there is no supreme value more important in a society to live in peace.


What happens is that we do not all have become accustomed to living in war. They kill a soldier, two soldiers, five police officers, twenty guerrillas. They attack a people, and we attacked another quiet, because we are used to living in war. Well I do not want Colombia continued well. I have my two sons here, here they are Martin and Stephen, I want to leave them and all their sons a country at peace.


And he has played hard. Believe me it is much easier to make war and have successfully done, I've done effectively. Who has hit the FARC the hardest blows? This server. Who the ELN has hit the hardest blows? This server. But there's always time for a soldier or a head of state when he decided: no more war, we seek peace.


That's what I decided when you elected me President of the Republic. And since then, I knew there was going to be difficult, I knew we were going to have enemies of peace. I never imagined, though, where we were going to get with these enemies, where they were going to get these enemies with their attacks to try to discredit the peace, the peace process, to prevent us Colombians dream of peace, kill Colombians hope.


I never imagined they would go to such extremes, as we have seen in recent days. But I say to you and to all Colombians, I wonder and asked myself: I answer these enemies or keep looking for peace? And I decided to continue to seek peace. These enemies of peace continue with their madness, because the Colombian people, the vast majority want peace.


I ask here in Cucuta: do you want peace? You hear the rest of the country. Do you want peace? But I also want it. So we will persevere, because I assure you that in Norte de Santander and in all municipalities of this great department, which in Cucuta, will benefit greatly because that peace will free us from that chain we've had for 50 years and slowing down our development, so that the borders of Colombia become poles of progress and prosperity.


This morning we were all here in Cucuta ministers approving a historical document to invest a sum of money really important at all borders. And we did from Cucuta, because this border is especially important. And peace will allow us to develop a border with much more ease.


If we can create 2 million and a half jobs and have scheduled another 2 million and a half more, peace will allow us to create much faster.


What cost us the war, the dividends of peace, we can invest in more hospitals, more roads. We are competing with the world in a war between. Peru has no war, no war Chile, Brazil has no war, no war Mexico. Colombia itself. It is as if we whereever a boxing ring to compete with one hand tied.


I want desamarrarle that hand to Colombia so that it can compete as God intended, with all its potential. But for that I require your support. Look at those young people. We want peace! We want peace! We want peace! You hear!


But this peace is not mine, it is not Juan Manuel Santos, not even this government. This peace belongs to all of you, to all cucuteños, all Norte de Santander, all Colombians, that this peace is a national cause.


Everyone is supporting us. The Holy Father sent me to the Chancellor say: 'President Santos, persevere in the quest for peace'. United States, Europe, Venezuela, Cuba, Ecuador, Brazil, all countries say continue to seek peace.


We are very close to peace and we have as the only real opportunity in our history. So I need your support. So I need you to get involved casting their votes on 25 May to peace. A mandate for the President to go and seek peace. And I promise you that I meet that mandate.


Yes you can, yes you can, yes you can! I know you can. I am optimistic because Colombia is a wonderful country, Norte de Santander is a wonderful apartment, Cúcuta is a wonderful city, Colombians are wonderful, yes.


As we will score goals in the World Cup, we will score goals in the second half and we will continue to progress, because you will help me and I'll help you. All together we will move forward. All and all santandereanos cucuteños all Chocoanos, we all have to play on the same team, getting that great goal of peace, the Olympic goal, so we can leave our children that we have dreamed Colombia.


Live Cucuta, Norte de Santander live, live Colombia, long live peace! Thank you very much to all".


(End)

- See more at: http://prensa.santospresidente.com/discursos/palabras-del-presidente-y-candidato,-juan-manuel-santos,-ante-12-mil-de-sus-seguidores-en-c%C3%BAcuta#sthash.Wk4uym0W.dpuf
