Colombia's presidential race overshadowed by rising violence

Colombia is entering a highly polarized presidential election with renewed armed conflict and rising violence before first-round voting on May 31. The campaign has become the deadliest in decades, including the assassination of a leading presidential candidate and bomb attacks in the country’s south. A motorcade of ruling party Senator Alexander Lopez was fired on in a conflict-ridden southwestern region, and President Gustavo Petro attributed the attack to a drug-trafficking armed group. After a 2016 peace accord, FARC disarmed, but dissident branches remain active and are blamed for violence targeting former guerrillas and social leaders. The Central General Staff of FARC dissidents and ELN rebels announced separate ceasefires ahead of the election, while candidates propose different responses, ranging from continued peace talks to military offensives and immediate action against violence.

"Colombia is heading into a deeply polarized presidential election amid renewed armed conflict and rising violence ahead of the poll. The election campaign ahead of the first-round voting on May 31 has become Colombia's deadliest in decades, marked by the assassination of a leading presidential candidate and a series of bomb attacks in the country's south."

"On Tuesday, the motorcade of ruling party Senator Alexander Lopez came under fire on a highway in the conflict-ridden southwestern region of the country. "They just tried to kidnap the senator," President Gustavo Petro said, pinning the blame on "a drug-trafficking armed group.""

"In 2016, a historic peace accord was signed under which FARC agreed to disarm fully. However, dissident branches of the former guerrilla group are still active and are being blamed for the latest violence targeting former guerrillas and social leaders."

"Leftist candidate Ivan Cepeda has pledged to continue peace talks with armed groups, following the policy of ally President Gustavo Petro, whose term ends in August. Conservative lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella, in stark contrast, has called for a military offensive. Conservative candidate Paloma Valencia, another poll frontrunner, called for immediate action against the incidents of violence last month."

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