Colombians braced for Sunday's presidential election in a climate of fear as suspected Marxist guerrillas bombed an election office, killed a mayor and planted car bombs in the Andean nation's countryside.
Anger over the political violence, increasingly routine in a country scarred by 38 years of guerrilla conflict, appears likely to deliver an election victory to hard-line, anti-rebel candidate Alvaro Uribe -- whose father was killed by the guerrillas.
For many war-weary Colombians, the big question wasn't whether Uribe would win Sunday's election -- but whether he could clinch the absolute majority of votes he needs to avoid a runoff with his nearest rival three weeks from now.
In an opinion poll published on Saturday, the bespectacled lawyer stood just shy of a first round victory, with around 48 percent of vote. He has been bouncing between 48 and 51 percent of the intended vote in recent polls.
Latin America's largest guerrilla army, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, is warning citizens to stay away from ballot boxes. Outgoing President Andres Pastrana has told Colombians to be ready for rebel attacks on election day.
"We have to be ready for terrorists acts," Pastrana said.
Suspected FARC guerrillas kidnapped and subsequently killed rural mayor Arnulfo Silva, in the southern town of Montanita, police said on Saturday. They also blamed the FARC for at least two car bombs and sabotage attacks that ripped apart a bridge and election office in Uribe's home province of Antioquia.
Rebel attacks on electricity towers left urban areas and vast areas of countryside without power in five of Colombia's 32 provinces.
Many Colombians are scared and plan to cast their ballots early before retreating to the safety of their homes. About 10 people are killed every day in the country's conflict.
"I'm going to vote as early as possible, but I'm afraid of what could happen, that the rebels detonate a car bomb, or worse," said Johana Castro, 25-year-old Bogota resident.
FIRM HAND, BIG HEART
The election of Uribe, a keen proponent of US military aid, would finally close a brief, hopeful chapter in Colombian history, when Pastrana tried but failed dismally to negotiate peace with the 17,000-member FARC.
Uribe bitterly opposed Pastrana's peace strategy and has campaigned with the slogan "firm hand, big heart" -- vowing to force rebels to make concessions to reopen dialogue. Uribe has pledged to double the number of police and soldiers and has suggested calling in United Nations troops.
The tough talk has come against a backdrop of political violence extending to candidates in Sunday's election.
Uribe suspended most public appearances after a bomb nearly killed him on a campaign trip to the coastal town of Barranquilla. Thought to be the work of the FARC, the blast buckled his bullet-proof car and killed four people.
The FARC has also kidnapped fringe candidate Ingrid Betancourt, polling with less than 1 percent, and given the government one year to swap her for jailed rebel leaders.
The United States brands the rebels cocaine-trafficking "terrorists," and may help Bogota fight the FARC by scrapping restrictions on US aid to the war on drugs. Colombia supplies about 70 percent of the world's cocaine and cash from the drug trade is increasingly fueling the country's guerrilla war.
Still, many Colombians fear Uribe's election could spell a sharp escalation of a conflict that has already claimed 40,000 lives in the past decade. And human rights groups say he might not pursue outlawed far-right paramilitary militias, known by the initials AUC, with same enthusiasm as he shows for suppressing the FARC.
"I was very sure about voting for Uribe, but now I have my doubts. Because it's possible the conflict just gets worse," said Pedro Peralta, leaning against a wall with Alvaro Uribe Candidate scrawled in graffiti. The first letter of every word was underlined, to read AUC.
(China Daily May 27, 2002)
