Colombian NGO: 903 Leaders Killed During Duque Administration

Since Colombia's President Iván Duque took office in 2018, 903 social leaders and human rights defenders have been killed, reported on Monday, the coordinator of the Observatory of Human Rights and Conflicts of the Institute of Studies for Development and Peace (Indepaz), Leonardo Gómez Perafán.

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"The figures of Iván Duque's government are not the best in any aspects, but as far as security is concerned, it is close to the worst period of violence in the last decades, which is from 2002 to 2006. Since he took office, 930 social leaders have been assassinated," said Gómez Perafán in a video posted on Twitter.

The expert affirmed that 245 signatories of the peace agreement between the State and the extinct FARC guerrilla were also killed and 261 massacres were committed.

"At least 245 signatories of the Peace Agreement have been killed; 261 massacres have been committed, of which 45 have occurred so far this year," he reported.

Finally, Gómez said that the departments most affected by violence are Cauca, Antioquia, Nariño, Valle del Cauca and Putumayo and blamed these figures on the lack of implementation of the peace agreement.

"The lack of commitment to implement the peace agreement, the ineffective security policy and the lack of comprehensive state presence in the territory are the main causes of widespread violence during Iván Duque's term in office," he concluded.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) revealed on June 2 a report showing concern about structural violence in Colombia, especially against human rights defenders.