Security was tight in order to prevent a repitition of the attack on his first inauguration in 2002 when FARC rebels fired mortars at the presidential palace killing 20. Uribe, 54, a free-market conservative from the land-owning class, is seen as one of the few remaing allies of US President George W. Bush on a continent that has seen a swing to the left with the election in recent years of leftists in Brazil and Argentina, Venezuala , Bolivia, Ecuador and Chile. * He was re-elected with 62\% of the vote in May. * He changed the constitution to allow himself to serve two consecutive terms. His first term saw a drop in the number of muders and kidnappings, offensives against the Marxist FARC rebels and an amnesty for right wing paramilitary fighters but there is a widespread feeling that Uribe has failed to militarily defeat the rebels and there is a public mood favouring negotiation. Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed in the four decades-long conflict between rebels, the army, and right wing paramilitaries.
Security was tight in order to prevent a repetition of the attack on his first inauguration in 2002 when FARC rebels fired mortars at the presidential palace killing 20. Uribe, 54, a free-market conservative from the land-owning class, is seen as one of the few remaing allies of US President George W. Bush on a continent that has seen a swing to the left with the election in recent years of leftists in Brazil and Argentina, Venezuela , Bolivia, Ecuador and Chile. He was re-elected with 62\% of the vote in May. He changed the constitution to allow himself to serve two consecutive terms. His first term saw a drop in the number of murders and kidnappings, offensives against the Marxist FARC rebels and an amnesty for right wing paramilitary fighters but there is a widespread feeling that Uribe has failed to militarily defeat the rebels and there is a public mood favouring negotiation. Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed in the four decades-long conflict between rebels, the army, and right wing paramilitaries.
R
repitition
repetition
R
Venezuala
Venezuela
D
*
D
*
R
muders
murders