One mayoral hopeful was murdered Friday while another was attacked by unknown gunmen in two different Colombian municipalities.
Mayoral candidate for the Liberal Party Luis Gonzalo Marinez Quiñones, also known as “El Palomo,” was walking down the village El Cascajero, part of the Magui Payan municipality, in the southwest department of Nariño where he was running for mayor when he was attacked and killed by several gunmen, according to radio station Caracol.
Authorities recovered the body of the murdered 42-year-old amid tight security in the area deemed a high-crime zone.
In another incident mayoral hopeful Miguel Antonio Gomez was attacked in the rural town of Salento, Quindio department in the Coffee Region where he was running for office.
Gomez escaped the assassination attempt unharmed; however, one of his escorts was wounded when the gunmen opened fire.
The escort was taken to the local hospital.