Bidders Line Up For Colombia Telecom

Six companies have lined up to bid for Colombia’s state-owned telecoms provider, Colombia Telecom, in what will be one of the Uribe government’s largest privatizations. The bidders include Telmex, owned by Mexican entrepreneur Carlos Slim, which tried but failed to buy the Colombia fixed-line provider last year for $350 million. The deal fell through after the country’s Controller General advised against it. Other interested parties include Spain’s Telefónica and Venezuelan firm CANTV.