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| 1998, March 2 |
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| The FARC attacked and defeated an army battalion in the jungle near Cartagena del Chaira. At least 62 of the 150 soldiers in the battalion were killed in the worst single defeat the army had suffered at the hands of leftist rebels in over 30 years. | 1 |
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| March 8–9 |
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| The ruling Colombian Liberal Party retained a majority in both congressional houses during the legislative elections. | 2 |
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| June 21 |
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| Andres Pastrana Arango, son of former president Miguel Pastrana Borrero, was elected president in a runoff election and promised to clean up corruption in the government. The second round of voting was the result of an almost perfect tie in the first election, held on May 31. | 3 |
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| Aug. 3–7 |
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| The FARC and ELN initiated their fiercest killing and kidnapping operation in recent memory just prior to the inauguration of new president Pastrana. | 4 |
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