1948
Assassination of Jorge Eliécer Gaitán
The left-wing mayor of Bogota is murdered, leading to massive urban riots and, subsequently, to a civil war between Liberals and Conservatives known as “La Violencia” that killed 250,000 to 300,000 Colombians
1966
FARC are founded
Members of the Colombian Communist Party took arms and started armed groups. The biggest and most important one is Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, FARC
2000
Plan Colombia
Pastrana launches Plan Colombia, with financial help from the US, to fight drug trafficking. Some 1.3 billion dollars from the US went, mainly, to the military
2008
Release of Ingrid Betancourt
Release of Ingrid Betancourt, FARC hostage. The presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, kidnapped by the FARC, is rescued in a military operation after 6 years of captivity, along with 14 other hostages
2012
Government peace talks whit FARC
The peace talks between the government and FARC start in Havana, Cuba, in November 6
