• Submitted by: manso
• International
• 08 / 20 / 2011

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Bogota, Aug. 19 (Prensa Latina) Former Colombian senator Piedad Cordoba left the country after receiving a death threat, sources close to the human rights activist confirmed.

Senator Ivan Cepeda, of the opposition Alternative Democratic Pole, said that Cordoba told him by telephone last night that she was leaving the country because the threats had intensified and her life was in immediate danger.

Cepeda, who has also received death threats, said Cordoba was leaving the country amid the controversy surrounding former President Alvaro Uribe's involvement in the illegal wiretapping scandal.

Cordoba's lawyer, Luis Guillermo Perez, told local reporters that while his client has been constantly intimidated, information had surfaced about a plan to kill her.

Official sources warned Cordoba, leader of the civil society organization Colombians For Peace, about a right-wing extremist plan to kill her.

Perez said the threats were a result of Cordoba's efforts with guerrilla forces to find a peaceful solution to the internal armed conflict, but also because of constant attacks against her in the media and by former President Alvaro Uribe.

The self-imposed exile will be temporary, however, and Cordoba would continue her work for negotiations to end the conflict, her lawyer said.

Source: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CubaNews/message/125758