Colombia ELN rebels admit attack on leftist candidate, apologize
Source: Reuters
BOGOTA, Feb 27 (Reuters) - The National Liberation Army, Colombia's second-biggest guerrilla group, admitted on Thursday it was behind an attack last weekend on a leftist presidential candidate but said it was returning fire after being shot at first.
A convoy carrying Aida Avella, 65, a contender from the Patriotic Union party, came under fire on Sunday as it traveled on a dirt road in the cattle-ranching and oil-rich northeastern province of Arauca, where rebels of the ELN have a strong presence.
The ELN, in a statement, said it was attempting to stop the caravan of 12 vehicles with darkened windows to ascertain who was inside but came under fire first.
"Instead of stopping, from the interior of one of the vehicles our guerrillas were fired at, and to protect themselves they fired back," the ELN statement said.
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/27/us-colombia-election-idUSBREA1Q2A920140227
If you don't want to rely on the corporate media, as you usually shouldn't, you can read the ELN's statement on their own website here (in Spanish):
https://www.eln-voces.com/index.php/es/voces-del-eln/comando-central/825-aclaracion-sobre-el-incidente-con-la-escolta-de-aida-abella
And the candidate herself has accepted the apology. She is asking both the ELN and the Colombian government to immediately enter into peace talks. See link (also in Spanish):
http://www.caracol.com.co/noticias/actualidad/8203aida-avella-acepta-disculpas-del-eln-por-atentado/20140227/nota/2103375.aspx
= new reply since forum marked as read
