In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer...

Never doubt the power of a message of peace. Something small, that quickly spreads across the world. A message that a nation, whose history has been characterized by violence, believes to the core. The idea was sparked a month ago and spread like wildfire through the network of facebook to over one hundred cities around the world.

No mas secuestros. No mas mentiras.
No mas muertes.
No mas FARC.

No more kidnappings. No more lies.
No more deaths.
No more FARC.

It was estimated that a million Bogotanos marched through the main streets to the Plaza de Bolivar, in the center of the city. The image was repeated throughout the country. "Freedom! Freedom! No more FARC, no more kidnappings", drew hundreds of miles of people who turned the streets upside down in 40 Colombian cities, which practically paralyzed the country at mid-day, as had been predicted by the youth who organized the protest through the internet and who had requested that it not be capitalized by any political organization (El Tiempo newspaper)
Un millón de voces unidas contra las FARC. A million voices united against the FARC.

In Barranquilla, 300,000 gathered from Teatro Amira De la Rosa to La Plaza de la Paz - fittingly, the Plaza of Peace. It was the first time ever that Barranquillero left aside a Carnaval event to cry out for those people who are being held in captivity (El Heraldo newspaper).

I told JuanCa that I didn't think there was anything in the world that could stop Barranquilla's Carnaval. His reply - Nuestros deseos de paz. Our hopes for peace. The images are still bringing tears to my eyes.The world has not turned its back on Colombia. More importantly, Colombia believes in itself. Millions have come together to raise their voice and fight back. I hope this is the first of many steps toward a more peaceful Colombia.

YO CREO EN COLOMBIA.

I BELIEVE IN COLOMBIA.

To all my friends in Colombia, I wish I could have been there with you today, in Barranquilla, in Bogotá, in Medellin. You are all in my thoughts. I love and support you all.