Colombia's President Santos Has Cancer

Santos, who took office in August 2010, is the latest Latin American leader to be diagnosed with cancer. File photo

Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos has announced he has prostate cancer and will have surgery on Wednesday.

Santos, 61, says the tumour has been detected early and estimates his chances of recovery at 97%.

The announcement comes a week before the government enters landmark peace talks with Farc rebels to try to end nearly five decades of conflict.

Santos, who took office in August 2010, is the latest Latin American leader to be diagnosed with cancer.

Others have included Dilma Rousseff of Brazil, her predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, as well as former Presidents Fernando Lugo of Paraguay and Fidel Castro of Cuba.

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