Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos acknowledged Sunday that voters had rejected his peace accord with the communist FARC rebels but he vowed to continue efforts to end the 52-year war.
"The majority has said 'No'" to the accord, he said in a televised address. But he vowed: "I will not give in and I will continue to seek peace to the last day of my mandate."
Colombia's FARC rebels also vowed they were committed to continuing peace efforts despite voters having rejected an accord between the force and the government to end their half-century conflict.
The FARC maintains "its willingness to use dialogue as the only weapon for building the future," the group's leader Timoleon Jimenez said in a speech in Havana, Cuba, where the accord was negotiated.
The result threatens to blast away four years of work by government and FARC negotiators aiming to end more than five decades of armed conflict.
Their accord consisted of six agreements:
Ceasefire and disarmament
A bilateral ceasefire took effect on August 29.
Under the full peace deal, the FARC was to begin moving its 5,765 fighters from their jungle and mountain hideouts into disarmament zones.
The rebels would have 180 days from the signing of the deal to fully disarm, under monitoring by the United Nations.
Justice for victims
The two sides announced a deal in December 2015 to create special courts to judge crimes committed during the conflict.
An amnesty was to be granted for "political crimes" but not the worst atrocities, such as massacres, torture and rape.
Those responsible for such crimes were to face up to 20 years in prison, with lighter sentences if they confessed.
Drug trafficking
In May 2014, the FARC agreed to stop drug production in areas under its control.
The government pledged to help farmers earn a living without growing illicit crops such as coca, the raw ingredient for cocaine.
But under the accord Colombian authorities, top allies in the US war on drugs, would continue their crackdown on drug traffickers.
Rebels in politics
The FARC is aiming to transform into a political party. The deal would temporarily allocate it 10 seats in the 268-member Congress.
Once the rebels lay down their arms, the government pledged to protect them from reprisal attacks by remnants of right-wing paramilitary groups that fought them in the 1980s and 1990s.
Land reform
In May 2013, the two sides signed a deal to provide land, loans and basic services to impoverished rural communities. Millions of dollars in financing would be needed to implement it.
Successful referendum
The sides agreed the accord had to be ratified by Colombian citizens in a referendum. That move was endorsed by the country's Constitutional Court.
On Sunday they voted against implementing the accord by 50.22 percent to 49.77 percent, according to virtually complete results.
