The campaign has been dogged by reports of widespread vote buying and the alleged infusion of millions of dollars of drug money. Of the 5,000 candidates vying for the 263 congressional seats, some 240 candidates are under criminal investigation. And the outcome of Sunday's vote is not expected to net Colombians a new congressional landscape. Analysts say the new Congress will resemble the old, with the ruling Liberal Party winning a majority and the leading opposition party, the Conservatives, winning a sizable minority. A congressional inquiry cleared Samper of wrongdoing.
Corruption is a key theme for Colombia's stumping candidates.
A movie director, magazine columnist, sports commentator and several indigenous leaders are among those seeking office. As Colombians debated whether to vote or stay home, a search for survivors was under way in a southern jungle. About 140 soldiers from an elite counterinsurgency battalion ventured into the jungle earlier this week, where they were ambushed by rebel fighters. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as FARC, claims to have killed 80 soldiers in the attack. The total body count is not yet known, but officials say the casualties extend beyond rebels and soldiers.