Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos sworn in Thursday Aug 07,2014

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos took the oath for his second term Thursday Aug 07,2014 and promised to redouble his efforts to end Colombia's half-century war amid a renewed wave of rebel violence that has put peace talks at risk.

Santos, a 62-year-old economist, narrowly defeated a conservative challenger to win another four-year term by framing their June runoff as a choice between war and peace.
"I will employ all of my energies to fulfill this mandate for peace," Santos, wearing a dove pin on his lapel, said in a closely watched 45-minute speech.

Thursday's inauguration was attended by heads of state from across Latin America as well as former King Juan Carlos of Spain, making his first official trip abroad since abdicating in favor of his son, Prince Felipe.

Ecuador¿s President Rafael Correa, center, waves at specially invited guests as he arrives at the National Congress to attend Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos' swearing-in ceremony, in Bogota, Colombia, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014. Also pictured are Paraguay's President Horacio Cartes, left, and Panama's President Juan Carlos Varela, right

Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos waves at journalists as he walks hand in hand with his wife, first lady Maria Clemencia Rodriguez, at the start of the presidential inauguration, in Bogota, Colombia, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014. The first couple are accompanied by their children, Esteban Santos, left, Maria Antonia Santos, second left, and Martin Santos, right.

There was one notable absence: Uribe, who helped elect Santos four years ago, skipped the ceremony along with allied lawmakers to protest what he contends was Santos' abuse of power to get re-elected and the scheduled presence of Venezuela's socialist president, Nicolas Maduro. However, Maduro cancelled at the last minute.

Colombian Congress President Jose David Name, right, helps to place the presidential sash on newly sworn-in President Juan Manuel Santos during the presidential inauguration ceremony, in Bogota, Colombia, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014.

Wearing the presidential sash, newly sworn-in President Juan Manuel Santos reviews the troops during his inauguration ceremony, in Bogota, Colombia, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014.