Almost seven years after the signing of the peace agreement between the Colombian government and the extinct FARC, several ex-combatants are continuing their process of reincorporation into civilian life with small businesses. One of them is a brewery in Bogotá, founded by former FARC combatants who laid down their arms as part of the peace agreement. The premises allude to the ideological claims of the ex-combatants and the memory of those who fell during the armed struggle.
The enterprises that have arisen as a result of the peace agreements have been varied, but all share the importance of peaceful coexistence in Colombia. One of the most frequent examples is the production of clothing by demobilized combatants, with phrases that allude to this reality.
Young people also join these initiatives; born in a divided and violent Colombia, they demand respect for the agreement signed in Havana in 2016, which sought to put an end to one of the longest-lasting internal conflicts in Latin America.
Carlos Grajales, manager of another brewery in Bogota, explains that not all forms of social reintegration devised for ex-combatants have been successful. He complains that maintaining a business for an ex-guerrilla is complex, and many of the guarantees set out in the Havana documents have been ignored by the authorities.
Despite the obstacles, these small businesses are reasons for hope for those who dream of a peaceful Colombia. The enterprises that have emerged as a result of the peace accords highlight the importance of peaceful coexistence within Colombia and are a sign of the desire of ex-combatants and young people to build a different country.