Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos was re-elected to a second term Sunday in a victory that indicates that Colombians favor more peace negotiations with leftist rebels.

Santos beat his conservative challenger, Oscar Ivan, with 50.9 percent of the vote. Zuluaga, who promised to escalate combat with the leftist rivals, received only 45 percent, reports Reuters.

Santos is slated to take his second-term oath Aug. 7 for another four years in office. He also plans to continue peace talks with Marxist guerrillas to end a half-century war.

"Today unity triumphed," Santos told supporters in a victory speech, according to the Los Angeles Times. "Millions of countrymen have shared our dream to exchange fear for hope. What was in play was not a candidate, but the direction of the country. It's the moment to end this Colombia president's reelection victory seen as endorsement of peace talks with long and cruel conflict."

"These will be the children of a generation of peace," he added, gesturing to children onstage holding cutouts of doves.

The bitter presidential campaign centered on the peace process Santos' government began to end 50 years of conflict with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, in late 2012. The talks have lasted much longer than Santos promised, and the government and rebel negotiators have reached a framework agreement on only four of six negotiating points.

During the campaign, Zuluaga denounced the talks as conceding too much to the rebels. He also said he opposed giving the FARC automatic representation in Congress and immunity for past crimes -- two likely prerequisites for any final deal.

"The election is a resounding endorsement of Santos' historic peace process in the country's tightest election in decades," said University of Maine international relations professor and Colombia expert Bruce Bagley. "It is also a major setback for the implacable opposition led by Uribe, and for Uribe personally."