Colombia: Terror Campaign

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October 27, 2005: FARC called off a a four week "blockade" in the northeast. FARC started this operation by announcing that the roads in Arauca province were unsafe, and they fired on vehicles to back up the threat. But only eight people were killed in skirmishes between police and FARC rebels. The threats did keep a lot of civilians off the roads and hurt the local economy.

October 26, 2005: The head of the national intelligence agency resigned, after being accused of collaborating with AUC rebels. While AUC is in the process of accepting the amnesty and disarming, part of it are still involved in the drug trade, and battles with rival FARC.

October 25, 2005: In the southwest, along the Ecuadorian border, FARC attacked a police station, leaving four police officers, two civilians and one army soldier. There have been several attacks like this of late, and it is believed that FARC is trying to terrorize local police in the area into leaving the rebels alone.

October 21, 2005: In the south, soldiers found and destroyed FARC explosives, hidden in 27 soccer balls (11 pounds of plastic explosives per ball.) FARC, and other gangs, are having a more difficult time moving weapons, drugs, and stuff-in-general, around. The police are taking control of more travel routes, and this triggers skirmishes with rebels.

October 20, 2005: The courts approved president Uribes proposal to run for another term. Colombian presidents, like many in South America, are limited, by local law, to one term. This is to prevent a dictatorship from being created, with a "president for life." But Uribe has an 80 percent approval rating, largely because of his success in fighting leftist rebels and drug gangs, and reviving the economy.
 

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