ausing both damage and loss of life.Colombia entered into an extended political crisis in 1995, after Samper was accused of accepting almost $6 million in campaign contributions from drug traffickers in exchange for leniency during any criminal proceedings for drug-related crimes. Although government prosecutors later claimed to have confirmed the contributions, Samper consistently said that he did not knowingly receive any drug money, and he refused to step down from the presidency. Samper declared a 90-day state of emergency in August 1995, ostensibly to battle organized crime and terrorist violence, but many Colombians saw the move as an attempt to divert attention away from the growing political scandal.In January 1996 Samper's former defense minister claimed that the president had solicited and knowingly accepted campaign contributions from drug traffickers. Samper convened a special session of Congress later that month to initiate an investigation that would consider the accusations against him. Colombia's chief prosecutor formally indicted Samper in February 1996, charging the president with the crimes of illegal enrichment, electoral fraud, falsifying documents, and coverup. The indictments were seen as the initial steps in what could become a formal congressional impeachment of the president. In June Congress cleared Samper of all charges of wrongdoing, but later a Colombian court convicted two of the president's associates of funneling drug money into Samper's campaign.In March 1996 the U.S. government criticized Colombia's effort in the ongoing drug war, claiming that the country was uncooperative in international efforts to combat drug production and distribution. The United States "decertified" Colombia in the anti-drug campaign, disqualifying the country from receiving most forms of U.S. economic assistance in 1996 and again in 1997. The U.S. government again recertified Colombia as an ally in the war on drugs in 1998.Samp...
