Development: On 9 October Juan Francisco ‘Kiko’ Gómez Cerchar, the Partido Cambio Radical (PCR) candidate for governor of the department of La Guajira in the 30 October regional elections, was shot in the leg as he prepared to address supporters at a political rally in Riohacha.
Significance: With just under three weeks to go until the regional elections, violence against candidates and their families is increasing. So far this year, 37 regional election candidates have been killed; that represents an increase of 27% over the last (2007) regional elections, when 29 candidates were assassinated in the run up to the ballot. Guaranteeing order and security on polling day has become the top priority for President Juan Manuel Santos. Amidst grumbling about its security policies, the government cannot afford the political cost of a spike in electoral violence.
Key points:
• The circumstances of the attack on ‘Kiko’ Gómez are unclear. According to one version, a gunman in the crowd opened fire at him on stage and Gómez was covered by a bodyguard. The gunman’s weapon allegedly jammed and he was unable to fire again, but a second round of gunfire broke as bodyguards carried Gómez off stage to transport him to hospital. Another version of events holds that a gun belonging to one of the bodyguards went off, wounding Gómez in the leg. Gómez remained in surgery as we published.
• Separately on Saturday evening in the department of Cauca, a group of armed men intercepted a vehicle transporting eight people to a political gathering in a rural locality. Three of the eight, including Andrés Melo Solarte, the son of the former mayor of Mercaderes, Aníbal Melo (1995-1997 & 2001-2003), were kidnapped by the armed men.
• The search for Nhora Valentina Muñoz, the 10 year old daughter of the mayor of Fortul (Arauca), Jorge Muñoz, is moving into its twelfth day. More than 2,000 members of the security forces are searching for the girl who was kidnapped on 29 September by an unknown group.
