With almost all the votes counted, Mr Santos had won 69% of the ballots and was more than 40 points ahead of his rival - Green Party candidate Antanas Mockus.

Mr Santos shares outgoing President Alvaro Uribe's tough line on security.

In his victory speech, he told the country's main rebel group, Farc, that their "time had run out".

He said there would not be "the slightest chance of negotiations" with the rebels and demanded they unilaterally release the hostages they hold.

Last week, the Colombian security forces rescued three police officers and a soldier who had been held captive by Farc (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) for almost twelve years.

Mr Santos, a former defence minister, praised the country's armed forces for the rescue, as well as their day-to-day work to keep Colombians safe.

He said he would not rest until they had secured every inch of the country.

But in a week when two soldiers were sentenced to 28 years in prison for carrying out extrajudicial killings, he warned the military to abide by the constitution and respect human rights.