Violence erupts in Colombia, indigenous governor assassinated

Indigenous governor Sandra Liliana Penia in the Cauca region Colombia was assassinated as the Latin American country faces a resurgence of violence, despite a 2016 peace deal between the then government and the former FARC guerrilla organization.

Gunmen shot and killed her near her home, shortly after he had left on a motorcycle to go to the village of Caldono, as reported by the Regional Council of Indigenous Peoples in the Caucasus.

According to AMPE, another person was seriously injured in the attack, according to senator and local community leader Feliciano Valencia. He told W radio station that the victim was receiving threats because “opposed the illegal crops, which are most in the area».

Indigenous and leading members of human rights organizations often become targets of armed organizations funded by drug trafficking and clash over control of areas of strategic importance to it.

“We mourn the assassination of Sandra Pena, the indigenous governor of the La Laguna protected area, who fought hard for the indigenous communities in this area where the main activities are agriculture, livestock and gardening,” his lawyer said via Twitter. People.

The United Nations has condemned the deadly attack and called for “effective measures” to be taken to protect the lives of women in office or in the struggle for communities or land.

According to the independent Indepaz Observatory, 52 community leaders and human rights defenders have been assassinated in 2021, and the number of victims of such actions has reached 1,166 since the signing of the government-FARC peace agreement more than four years ago.

(file photo)