Political candidate survives FARC ambush
By Manuel Rueda, Editorial Director
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Gubernatorial candidate Jose Alberto Perez is recovering from bullet wounds after the FARC attacked his convoy in the state of Guaviare on Sunday.
Congressional elections are taking place in Colombia on March 14th, but Guaviare is holding a special election to choose a new governor on February 28th because the current governor is currently in jail for alleged links with paramilitary groups.
Perez, who belongs to the Conservative party, asked President Uribe not to change the election date, saying that “democracy cannot be stopped,” and adding that “armed groups cannot be allowed to 'have their way.'”
The candidate´s convoy was attacked on Sunday as it headed to a campaign event in the sparsely populated Calamar municipality. Four policemen who escorted Perez died as they exchanged gunfire with the guerrillas and two civilians were killed by stray bullets.
Perez, who took a bullet on his leg, says he “miraculously” survived after a bullet that would have hit his chest was deflected by his rosary necklace.
The army is currently leading a major offensive against the FARC s in Guaviare, a resource rich jungle region that used to be firmly under the grip of the guerrillas.
Election monitors say armed groups in rural Colombia frequently threaten the lives of candidates who oppose their interests.
16 candidates and more than 70 campaign workers were assassinated in the last local elections in 2007 and death threats against congressional candidates have already been reported this year.
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