A mayoral candidate has been kidnapped by alleged FARC rebels in the central Colombian Meta department, authorities said Sunday.
According to armed forces commander Admiral Edgar Cely, the candidate for the Partido de la U in the municipality of San Juan de Arama was kidnapped Sunday together with five others who were later released.
The kidnapping took place while the politician was campaigning in one of the rural areas of the municipality 70 miles south of the Colombian capital Bogota, said Cely.
The armed forces commander asked local politicians who seek election in the local elections held throughout Colombia in October to not go campaigning in remote area without requesting police or army protection.
So far this year, at least three local politicians were murdered while on campaign.
