Candidates hire criminals to intimidate opponents: Observers

[Judi Lynn]

Candidates hire criminals to intimidate opponents: Observers
Thursday, 18 August 2011 10:11
James Bargent

The Electoral Observation Mission’s (MOE) Claudia Lopez has blamed a large part of the electoral violence recorded by the organization on politicians and candidates.

“The candidates themselves are going to groups of common criminals or illegal armed groups to intimidate their opponents,” Lopez said in an interview with Caracol Radio.

According to Lopez, the MOE came to this conclusion after noting about half the incidences of violence came in areas where no illegal armed groups, such as the FARC, the ELN or neo-paramilitary groups, were present.

The MOE reported a 68% rise in election violence, with 109 attacks on candidates, including 28 murders.

More:
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/18413-candidates-hire-criminals-to-intimidate-opponents-observers.html

[gbscar]

1. Thanks, though it was already posted here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=405x55011

Since both news reports were talking about the same issue, I posted them under the same topic earlier today.