Photo: JUAN PABLO PINO / AFP / Getty Images
By: EFE Posted Jun 16, 2023, 2:25 pm EDT
The mayors of 12 Colombian municipalities dispatch from outside their localities because they were threatened by armed groups, denounced this Friday the Ombudsman’s Office, which also warned that similar situations affect councilors and members of Community Action Boards (JAC).
The Ombudsman, Carlos Camargo, said that a study of the regional ombudsmen found that “12 mayors, in seven departments, are dispatching outside their municipalities, and all because were threatened by illegal armed groups“.
Those affected are the mayors of Puerto Guzmán (Putumayo), Cartagena del Chairá (Caquetá), Magüí Payán (Nariño), Bagadó, Sipí, Río Iró and San José del Palmar (Chocó); El Bagre and Tarazá (Antioquia), Villeta (Cundinamarca) and Tibú and La Playa (Norte de Santander), who ship from other jurisdictions.
Given the situation, Camargo reiterated that it is “urgent to adopt protection measures and strengthen the institutional presence, especially in those municipalities where today there are no security conditions for officials to carry out their work, nor for the free defense of human rights ”.
Likewise, due to threats against their lives, other officials have been forced to leave their villagesaccording to the Ombudsman.
Councilors, municipal representatives, corregidores and presidents of Community Action Boards have had to leave their municipalities in the departments of Amazonas, Arauca, Bolívar, Boyacá, Caquetá, Casanare, Cauca, Cesar, Guaviare, Norte de Santander, Santander and Tolima.
“The pressure of illegal groups, when the country is in the midst of local elections, cannot be imposed under the threat of arms”Camargo assured.
Colombia will hold elections for governors, mayors, deputies, councilors, mayors and members of local administrative boards on October 29.
In this direction, the official urged the armed groups to show gestures of peace. “Any manifestation of violence, such as intimidation, threats, displacement, is not a sign that contributes to total peace.”
Camargo pointed out that the phenomenon of institutional displacement is alarming since, in various regions of the country, not even the authorities elected by popular vote can remain in their territories and perform their duties.
“If that happens with the authorities, what can the citizens who inhabit those populations expect,” Camargo added.
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