The World - News from May 27, 1988

The Colombian government put its military forces on alert following the seizure of the Mexican Embassy in Bogota by leftist guerrillas. Defense Minister Gen. Rafael Samudio Molina ordered the alert just hours after 40 guerrillas, who said they belonged to the leftist group M-19, seized the embassy and an undetermined number of hostages to protest water and electricity shortages in lower-class areas of Bogota. Water and power have been rationed for the last two months in many areas of the capital, which is suffering its worst drought in 53 years. President Virgilio Barco Vargas is in Portugal, but a Cabinet minister said he is monitoring the situation.