Colombian President Alvaro Uribe vowed to continue his fight against Marxist rebels one day after a mortar attack during his inauguration ceremony killed 19 people in Bogotá. On Thursday, during a visit to the city of Valle de Par, Mr. Uribe called for one million civilian citizens to set aside their fear and report the plans and movements of the rebels in their neighborhoods using the radio waves provided by the government. On Wednesday, as President Uribe took the presidential oath in the parliament building, mortars suspected to be fired by rebels exploded very close to the parliament building, despite heavy security measures that had been prepared in Bogotá. President Bush condemned the attack and noted that the U.S. stands with the people of Colombia in their fight against terror and violence.
Colombian President Says He Will Continue Fighting Rebels - 2002-08-08
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe pledged to continue combating Marxist rebels following a deadly mortar attack during his inauguration. He encouraged civilians to report rebel activities using government-provided radio. This situation highlights ongoing violence in Colombia and international support from the U.S.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe vowed to continue fighting against Marxist rebels after a mortar attack during his inauguration killed 19 people. He urged civilians to report rebel activities using government-provided radio.
- The mortar attack occurred during Uribe's inauguration ceremony.
- President Bush condemned the attack and expressed U.S. support for Colombia.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Colombia has faced decades of conflict involving various guerrilla groups, primarily driven by ideological and economic disparities. Uribe's presidency marked a shift towards a more aggressive military approach.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%