Bogota - The deputy head of the Central Workers' Unit, Colombia's biggest trade union, was shot dead at home as an agreement was being reached to end a two-week national strike by public sector workers, officials said.
Mr Jorge Ortega's murder late on Tuesday in the southern part of the city was blamed by some union leaders on right-wing paramilitary death squads, while others believed it was the work of President Andres Pastrana's government.
Government and union representatives were close to a deal to end a two-week-old strike by some 800,000 public service workers.