The United States is tracking Colombian President Alvaro Uribe by satellite to protect him from assassination, it emerged today.
The high-tech security used to protect Mr Uribe includes equipment in Colombia to intercept communications near the presidential palace and allows intelligence agents to closely monitor the president's movements.
Mr Uribe, who has stepped up a US-backed war to smash the cocaine trade and is building up the military, has survived several assassination attempts by leftist rebels, including a powerful car bomb in April while he was on the campaign trail.
"The United States is working very closely with Colombia on the security and protection of President Uribe because it is a priority for them. We are using all types of equipment to protect Uribe, not only while he's at the office but during his movements," a top Colombian intelligence officer said.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the officer said the system, which includes satellite tracking, was installed after rebels launched a mortar attack on the presidential palace during Mr Uribe's swearing-in ceremony last August, killing 21 people in a nearby poor district.
The United States, which has spent almost $2 billion in mostly military aid in recent years to help Colombia fight the war on drugs and recently authorized Bogota to use the aid to combat rebels as well, sees Mr Uribe as a key regional ally.