Colombia: May 10, 2001

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FARC rebels kidnapped a mayor of a town in the northeast. Unlike most other kidnappings, these are done to intimidate local officials to support the rebels. If kidnapping doesn't change a mayor's mind, the mayor is killed. In the last three years, leftist rebels have murdered 42 mayors. It has gotten to the point where there are some towns where no one is willing to serve as mayor.