
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, March 4, 1990                   TAG: 9003042211
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-15   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: BOGOTA, COLOMBIA                                LENGTH: Short

COLOMBIAN REBELS HOLD 20 CAPTIVE

Leftist guerrillas on Saturday held 20 people captive, including mayors and other public officials, in an apparent attempt to disrupt next week's national elections.

The guerrillas also threatened to kill Minister of Government Carlos Lemos, Colombia's most important Cabinet minister, because he accused them of killing a leftist mayor last week. They denied the charge.

In the past three days, national police said, the National Liberation Army has kidnapped four mayors, three state assemblymen, one city councilman, three local party leaders, one reporter, four employees of rural government programs and four ranchers and businessmen.

The National Liberation Army, an insurgent group led by a former priest, has joined with other guerrilla groups in proposing a halt to hostilities through the elections, according to the radio network Caracol.

The report could not be verified, and the government did not respond to the communiques.

Colombians elect mayors and congressmen on March 11. - Associated Press

by CNB