Gunmen KIll Two Campaign Workers Before Colombia's Presidential Election

Gunmen Kill Two Campaign Workers Before Colombia’s Presidential Vote COLOMBIA Colombia Two campaign workers for right-wing presidential candidate Abelardo de La Espriella were killed in southeastern Colombia over the weekend, intensifying concerns about political violence less than two weeks before the country’s election. De La Espriella said four gunmen on motorcycles shot the victims in a rural area of Cubarral, in Meta Department. His Defenders of the Homeland party identified the men as Rogers Mauricio Devia Escoba, a former mayor of Cubarral and local campaign coordinator, and logistics assistant Eder Fabian Cardona Lopez. Authorities have not blamed any armed group for the attack, but de La Espriella accused a dissident faction of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels. Violence and rising crime have become central issues in the race to replace President Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s leftist leader. The ombudsman also reported another attack against a former mayoral candidate in the area and warned that the violence could affect the election. Leftist Sen. Iván Cepeda leads the polls with between 37 and 40 percent support and has pledged to continue Petro’s policy of negotiated solutions to the armed conflict. De La Espriella, who is polling in second place with more than 20 percent, has promised a hard line against guerrillas, criminal gangs and drug trafficking. If no candidate wins more than 50 percent of the vote on May 31, a runoff will be held on June 21.