Forty-eight killed in Colombia guerrilla clashes before election

BOGOTA: Fighting between two dissident groups linked to Colombia’s former FARC guerrilla movement has left 48 people dead in the Amazon region, according to the mayor of San Jose del Guaviare, days before the country’s May 31 presidential election.

Willy Rodriguez, the mayor of the regional capital, told AFP by phone that the dead were in Vereda Piripal, a hamlet about six hours away from San Jose del Guaviare. He said the casualty figure was provisional and had been provided by the local community.

Speaking about the aftermath of the violence, Rodriguez said the bodies were still at the site and had not yet been removed. "The bodies are lying there in a heap, they need to be evacuated," he added.

An army source told AFP the clashes began on Monday in what has long been considered a FARC stronghold. There was no immediate information on whether the fighting was still continuing, as rescue teams had not yet reached the area.

Security concerns dominate campaign

Colombia has seen its most serious surge in violence since the FARC laid down arms in 2016, ending a conflict with the government that had lasted for half a century. Since then, smaller armed factions have been competing for control of jungle areas once held by the rebel group, as well as income from drug trafficking and illegal mining.

The latest bloodshed is another setback for outgoing left-wing President Gustavo Petro’s total peace policy, which has become a major issue in the election campaign. Left-wing Senator Ivan Cepeda, who is leading the race to replace Petro, has said he would continue seeking dialogue with armed groups.

His right-wing opponents, led by lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella, have taken a harder line and say the rebels should be defeated through military force. The broader security situation has remained central to the election, which has also been affected by killings, kidnappings and bomb attacks.

Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez said 408,000 members of the security forces had been deployed to help ensure peaceful voting. He said the operation was backed by aircraft, ships, drones, anti-drone systems and armoured vehicles.

If no candidate secures more than 50% of the vote, the top two contenders will face each other in a runoff on June 21.