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Two campaign workers for Colombian presidential candidate Abelardo De La Espriella were shot dead in Meta province on Wednesday, in an attack that has sparked fears of escalating violence ahead of the country’s presidential election.
According to officials, the two victims were transporting campaign materials when they were intercepted by four armed men on motorcycles in the town of Vista Hermosa, in Meta province, some 170 km southeast of the capital Bogota. The attackers opened fire, killing the campaign workers and fleeing the scene.
Colombian presidential candidate Abelardo De La Espriella has blamed a dissident former FARC faction for the attack, which comes just two weeks before Colombia’s presidential election. De La Espriella, who is a member of the Democratic Center party, has been a vocal critic of former Marxist rebels who have refused to disarm.
“This barbaric act is evidence of the terror tactics employed by the remnants of the FARC, which have rejected all attempts at peace,” De La Espriella said in a statement following the attack.
Colombian authorities have launched an investigation into the killings, with the Attorney General’s office ordering an urgent inquiry into the attack. Security forces have also been deployed to the area to increase patrols and protect voters and campaign workers.
This latest attack is the latest in a string of violent incidents to rock Colombia ahead of the presidential election, which is scheduled for May 27. In recent weeks, there have been reports of grenade attacks and shootouts between rival gangs in major cities, as well as intimidation and coercion attempts against campaign workers.
In a statement, the Colombian Presidential Election Commission expressed concern over the growing violence and called for calm and respect for the democratic process.
“We urge all citizens, candidates, and electoral officials to exercise maximum caution and report any incidents to the authorities,” the commission said.
The Meta province, where the attack occurred, is considered a hotbed of violence, with high levels of crime and gang activity fueled by the presence of dissident former FARC factions.
The incident has drawn international condemnation, with the European Union and the United States urging Colombians to remain calm and to respect the democratic process.
The Colombian presidential election is seen as a closely contested and potentially volatile contest, with polls suggesting a tight three-way race between incumbent President Ivan Duque and challengers Gustavo Petro of the Historic Pact and Rodolfo Hernández Suárez for El Verde Party, in addition to De La Espriella.