Colombian Ambassador Shot 5 Times in Budapest

BUDAPEST, Hungary — An unidentified gunman today shot and seriously wounded Colombian Ambassador Enrique Parejo, a former justice minister whose country has cracked down on drug traffickers.

The state news agency MTI said the ambassador was rushed to a hospital but gave no details.

An unidentified woman answering the Colombian Embassy telephone confirmed the attack, saying, “The ambassador has been shot.” The call was disconnected before she could continue, and subsequent calls produced only busy signals.

In Bogota, the Colombian Foreign Ministry reported that Parejo was hit by five bullets.

Before becoming ambassador to Hungary, Parejo was minister of justice under former President Belisario Betancur, whose term ended Aug. 7. Parejo had replaced Justice Minister Rodrigo Lara, who was assassinated by drug traffickers April 30, 1984.

Colombia’s new president, Virgilio Barco, has unleashed an offensive against marijuana and cocaine traffickers since the shooting death by drug traffickers of newspaper editor Guillermo Cano.

National police have arrested more than 300 people and have seized cars, helicopters, houses and other property reportedly belonging to suspected drug traffickers.

The U.S. Embassy in the Colombian capital of Bogota closed for two days last week because of threats by drug traffickers to blow up the building.