The Washington Post reveals allegations by Spanish Judge Eloy Velasco that the FARC guerrilla group asked Spain’s ETA to assassinate Colombian presidential candidate Antanas Mockus.
In an article on Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s alleged ties to terrorist groups the FARC and ETA, the U.S. newspaper refers to terrorism charges that Spanish Judge Eloy Velasco brought against a Venezuela government official and 12 FARC members.
“Velasco’s criminal complaint also alleges that the FARC asked ETA to assassinate prominent Colombians in Spain. No one was killed, but the targets included President Uribe and Antanas Mockus, a former Bogota mayor now running for president in Colombia,” the article states.
Uribe’s presence on the list of targets, along with former Colombian President Andres Pastrana, was already known. The Washington Post is the first to reveal Mockus’ inclusion on the list.
Mockus has been the target of other assassination plots. The FBI are investigating death threats from a Facebook group titled “I promise to kill Antanas Mockus before the 30th of May.”
On April 26 police received an anonymous tip-off about a plot to assassinate the Green Party candidate. Security for all candidates has since been tightened.
Colombia’s presidential elections are scheduled for May 30.