Colombia: Catatumbo Killings Highlight Fragility of Peace Process
22 January 2025
In a chilling reminder of the fragility of Colombia’s peace process, five social leaders were massacred in the Catatumbo region on Friday. The victims, all members of the local community council, were ambushed by unknown gunmen while holding a meeting.
The Catatumbo region, in the northeastern province of Norte de Santander, has long been a hotbed of violence and a stronghold of the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrillas. Despite the signing of a peace agreement between the government and the ELN in 2018, violence has continued to plague the area.
The massacre has sparked outrage and condemnation from across the political spectrum. President Iván Duque vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice and announced the deployment of additional troops to the region. However, critics argue that the government’s response has been insufficient and that the peace process is at a critical juncture.
“This massacre is a clear sign that the peace process is in danger,” said Carlos Ruiz, a human rights activist in the Catatumbo region. “The government must take urgent action to protect social leaders and implement the peace agreement in full.”
The massacre is the latest in a series of attacks on social leaders in Colombia. According to the Institute for Development and Peace Studies (Indepaz), 307 social leaders have been killed since the signing of the peace agreement.
The ELN has been blamed for many of these attacks, but other armed groups, including dissident guerrillas and paramilitaries, are also believed to be involved. Experts say that the continued violence is fueled by a lack of state presence in rural areas and the failure of the government to fully implement the peace agreement.
The massacre in the Catatumbo region has cast a shadow over the upcoming presidential election in May. The peace process is likely to be a key issue in the campaign, with candidates from both the left and right promising to take action to protect social leaders and implement the agreement.
However, it remains to be seen whether the next government will be able to address the root causes of the violence and bring lasting peace to Colombia.
Colombia: Catatumbo killings highlight fragility of peace process
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