Colombia's leading candidate for the May 26th presidential elections survived a bomb attack last night.
A bomb exploded on Mr Alvaro Uribe's campaign route, killing three people and injuring at least 13 others, authorities said.
The hardline right-winger said his semi-armoured, all-terrain vehicle was destroyed by the bomb. The bomb was put inside a bus and exploded just as his five-car convoy passed a busy commercial district in the coastal city of Barranquilla. It is believed to be the third assassination attempt on Mr Uribe.
Those killed included the driver of the city bus, who was caught inside the vehicle when the bomb detonated, authorities said. Five police accompanying the candidate's caravan were injured, along with eight pedestrians.
Mr Uribe (49) has soared in opinion polls with vows to crack down on Colombia's leftist rebels and dramatically hike military spending.
Colombia's Marxist and Cuban-inspired guerrillas have been fighting for 38-years to impose a socialist state.
According to the most recent opinion poll, released on April 4th, Mr Uribe had 51 per cent support - giving him a 22 percentage point lead over his nearest election rival.
AFP