Colombia: Parliamentary elections March 11 /update 1

Event

Parliamentary elections will be held throughout the country on Sunday, March 11. Voters will head to the polls to elect 102 members of the Senate and 166 members of the House of Representatives. Political rallies may take place in the coming weeks ahead of the vote. Heightened security measures and traffic disruptions are anticipated around any political event, and in the vicinity of polling stations on election day. Political violence, as well as clashes between demonstrators and security forces, are also possible in the coming weeks.

Authorities have announced that a ban will be imposed on the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages throughout Colombia from 06:00 (local time) on Saturday, March 10, to 06:00 on Monday, March 12.

While no credible threats have been publicly released, the Colombian Ombudsman's Office warned that paramilitary armed groups could stage attacks during the election period, urging the government to implement protective measures to guarantee that the parliamentary elections run smoothly.

Advice

Individuals in Colombia are advised to monitor developments to the situation and adhere to all instructions issued by local authorities.

Due to the presence of a number of armed groups - including organized crime groups, drug cartels, right-wing militias, and local gangs - many Western governments advise against travel to various regions of the country (particularly rural zones).