New Colombian political trend: choice

As the country prepares for local elections on Sunday, many are finding that the murder and intimidation that once defined politics here are diminishing.

from the October 26, 2007 edition

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Despite continuing investigations, the parties most affected by the para-politics scandal have not shied away from the elections. Colombia Viva, Colombia Democrática and Alas-Equipo Colombia, are all fielding candidates. Many, in fact, are being actively supported by the imprisoned politicians, according to local media.

One has to be careful however, warns Mr. Romero, to draw the conclusion that the election of a candidate from one of the "tainted parties" actually means "the reconstruction of the paramilitary-backed political elites." "If the candidates make a commitment to legality they could be perfectly legitimate," he says.

And while dwindling paramilitary influence has meant less violence in some areas, leftist guerrillas have launched a violent campaign against pro-government candidates. Guerrillas of the revolutionary armed forces of Colombia, or FARC, have seen their territorial control shrink under President Uribe's tough security policies that have driven the rebels away from urban centers to the more remote regions.

"Before they could just ban elections, now it's easier to kill candidates," says Claudia López, an analyst with a nongovernmental organization that monitors Colombia's electoral processes. "It is a paradox because improved security has meant a lot of dead candidates."

More than two dozen candidates have been killed in the run-up to the election, and dozens more have been threatened, kidnapped, or intimidated. About half of the murders are attributed to FARC rebels.

Amnesty International called the killings and intimidation of candidates a threat to freedom of expression. "The Colombian authorities must provide effective guarantees to ensure the safety of candidates," said Susan Lee of the group's Americas program.

But Interior Minister Carlos Holguín admitted last week that the government and security forces were overwhelmed with the task of protecting more than 86,000 candidates in 1,099 municipalities. "It is impossible to ensure the safety of every candidate," he said. However, the government has offered a $25,000 reward for information about any of the crimes against candidates.

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