The Colombian Federation of Municipalities calls for the protection of some 150,000 mayoral candidates in October’s upcoming regional elections, amid a return of apparent threats from the FARC, Caracol Radio reported Thursday.
The mayors of the country feel that the FARC have amped up their efforts to disrupt campaigns, with FCM Executive Director Gilberto Toro indicating a return of the violence that had seemingly diminished.
“This year they killed a mayor and for almost six years this was not happening and [now] we have had more than six attacks against mayors and six candidates assassinated. The situation needs to be managed,” he said.
Most of the FARC threats, according to Toro, are located in southern Colombia or the Pacific coastline.
“We have clearly identified problems in the south of the country, where the FARC operate with increasing force, as well as in Chocó, Valle del Cauca, Nariño, Putumayo and Caqueta, basically where they have always been present,” he stated.
Two Liberal Party candidates for local councils were murdered in southwest Colombia on May 15, with the FARC suspected by authorities of being the perpetrators.