Two social leaders were killed while attending a family gathering in Ituango, in Colombia’s Antioquia department, according to the Institute for Development and Peace Studies (Indepaz). The report notes this tragedy marks the first known killings of social leaders since President Gustavo Petro assumed office. Petro’s administration has faced international attention over crime and violence affecting community defenders, a concern also raised by human rights groups in recent years.
Indepaz identified the victims as Uber Eliécer Tapias Jaramillo and Ferdi Leandro Tapias, both members of the Community Action Board (JAC) for the village of Quebradoncita in Ituango. Tapias Jaramillo served as the current president of JAC, and both men were part of the Comprehensive National Program on Illegal Crops Substitution (PNIS). The two men were actively engaged in local civic work, mediating community issues and coordinating aid and development projects supported by national programs aimed at alternatives to illegal crops. Their roles placed them at the intersection of local governance and national policy, highlighting how community leadership teams operate on the frontline of social and security challenges in these regions.
The killings occurred during a family reunion at dawn when a group of armed attackers opened fire. Local authorities have initiated investigations, but an official theory has not yet been established. Media outlets in the area have suggested possible involvement by the Gulf Clan, a lingering factor in the region’s security dynamics in recent weeks. The term Pistola Plan has appeared in reports describing a supposed campaign against state authority, underscoring the volatility that surrounds public power in parts of Colombia where illegal armed groups exert influence.
The Office of the Ombudsman has warned that murders of community leaders are occurring with distressing regularity in this region. Independent tallies show a grim trend: through the current year, at least 114 social leaders and human rights defenders have been killed across Colombia, a figure that underscores the risks faced by those who advocate for rights, land, and community protection in conflict zones. The persistence of these acts serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle for safety and recognition by those who work at the grassroots level to improve conditions for their neighbors and preserve civic space in the face of intimidation and violence. [Indepaz]