Colombia: Fire in Electoral Office Leaves 1 Dead, 4 Injured

On Saturday, Colombian Police Director Gen. William Salamanca informed taht one person tragically lost their life, and four others were injured after a mob set fire to the local branch of the National Registry in Gamarra, located in the department of Cesar.

RELATED: 

Colombian President Begins Visit to China

Interior Minister Luis Velasco specified that two of the injured individuals are employees of the Gamarra Registry. Both of them, along with the two injured police officers, are in stable condition and receiving medical care.

"It appears that a group of citizens who were protesting the removal of their candidate's endorsement by the National Electoral Council (CNE) on October 16 went to the Registry to stage a protest that escalated into unprecedented violence," Velasco said, emphasizing that the turmoil was evidently a premeditated act.

The attack that destroyed the Registry's premises, an institution responsible for organizing elections, occurred just hours before Sunday's opening of the polls for local and regional elections in Colombia.

The text reads, "This was the moment in which a man set fire to the headquarters of the Registry in Gamarra, Cesar, in the midst of protests that arose over the revocation of the registration of a candidate for mayor. An official died and there is "several people injured at the scene."

Previously, Fernando Marquez, the candidate from the "On Going" political movement, was disqualified from participating due to his involvement in public contracts the year before the elections. He denounced the violence in Gamarra and urged the public to remain calm.

On Sunday, Colombians are called to the polls to elect mayors and governors for the 2024-2027 term, as well as council members, legislators, and local representatives.

However, the elections are being held in an atmosphere of increasing violence, despite existing ceasefires with two armed groups, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and the Central Military Command (EMC), a dissident faction of the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

For these elections, violence has intensified, not only targeting candidates but also voters. The Peace and Reconciliation Foundation (Pares) reported that 37 people have been killed during the campaign, and 51 have been the victims of attacks.