In this column, Julia E. Sweig assesses Colombian president Juan Santos's progress as he begins negotiations with the FARC and the potential political implications the negotiations have for the future.

The U.S. State Department released this fact sheet on the Plan Colombia on March 28, 2000.

President Obama and Colombian president Santos gave this joint press conference on April 15, 2012 in Cartagena, Colombia.

As violence soars, so do voices of dissent against drug prohibition, notes this Economist piece.

This meeting was presented by the International Institutions and Global Governance Program and the Women and Foreign Policy Program.

This meeting was presented by the International Institutions and Global Governance Program and the Women and Foreign Policy Program.

The U.S. ratification of the stalled Free Trade Agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama indicates that "there is a possibility, despite the very great partisan divisions in Congress, of bipartisan cooperation on economic issues," says CFR's Edward Alden. However, Alden emphasizes that "it is important not to overstate the potential job creation benefits" of the agreements.

Shannon K. O'Neil says domestic responsibility and action are needed to win Mexico's drug war.

Joel D. Hirst says the Obama administration must move with urgency to secure the extradition of Walid Makled García "el Turco" from Colombia to the United States.

Joel D. Hirst says the decision by Colombia to send drug kingpin Walid Makled to Venezuala and not the United States is a mistake, but one that can be corrected.

President of the Republic of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos Calderón, discusses Colombia's economic advances, as well as new security measures to combat militants and drug warlords.

President of the Republic of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos Calderón, discusses Colombia's economic advances, as well as new security measures to combat militants and drug warlords.

A general discussion with the newly elected President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos Calderon.

Colombian presidential candidate Antanas Mockus has generated surprising support for his campaign of transparency and change, but the winner will need to reassure voters that security improvements will continue, says expert Cynthia Arnson.

"The turnaround in the past decade is so dramatic as to be almost unbelievable," write Max Boot and Richard Bennet, commenting on the positive changes in Colombia since it was on the brink of being taken over by insurgents as recently as 2000.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN) are Colombia's two predominant rebel groups. While both have been depleted in recent years, they remain destabilizing forces.

This Crisis Group multimedia presentation discusses the history and current state of Colombia's FARC insurgency.

Shannon K. O'Neil and Sebastian Chaskel write that "the U.S. can improve Colombia's human rights situation by bolstering economic opportunities through the FTA."