Two Well-Known Leaders Murdered in Magdalena, Colombia

On Wednesday, Colombia's Institute for Development and Peace Studies (Indepaz) denounced the murder of two social leaders in the department of Magdalena; there are already 107 social leaders murdered in 2023.

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"Wilinton Tovar Gil was a recognized political leader and current candidate for the Council of the municipality of San Zenón, Magadalena. In addition, he was part of the campaign of the mayoral candidate, Ricardo Rodriguez for the -ADA- party," said the agency about one of the leaders.

Meanwhile, the agency said that this leader was killed with a firearm by "hired killers on a motorcycle" when he was traveling between the municipalities of San Zenón and San Sebastián de Buenavista in Magdalena.

Martín Darys Escobar Barón, a recognized leader and current president of the Peasant Association of Zona Bananera, was also murdered in the same department, in the Bananera zone.

This leader, who was murdered inside a house located in the village of Guacamayal "in 2020 was the victim of an attack for which he had requested protection from the National Protection Unit (UNP), however, at the time his risk level had been classified as ordinary according to organizations in the area".

Indepaz also specified that the Early Warnings (AT 019/23) and AT 044/19 were issued by the Ombudsman's Office, which states that "the risk scenario faced by people who are dedicated to the defense of human rights and social leadership individually or collectively, from various areas or sectors in the country, is evident."

"The imposition of norms and other forms of social control by armed groups means a permanent risk of violation of the population's rights," Indepaz emphasized.

Among the armed groups operating in the department of Magdalena, Indepaz highlighted AGC, Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra de Nevada, other local gangs and the First Division of the Colombian Army.