Activists in Mexico and Colombia face targeted violence and threats

Social activists in Mexico and Colombia are facing targeted violence. In Michoacán, Mexico, avocado entrepreneur and activist Luis Manuel Soto Sanabria reported receiving a death threat accompanied by a funeral flower wreath left on his car. Soto Sanabria, who was previously kidnapped by organized crime in January 2024, stated that authorities have failed to provide adequate protection. The ongoing threats have forced him to relocate and have reduced the operations of the Soto Sanabria Foundation, which supports indigenous populations, by 80 percent.

In Cúcuta, Colombia, community leader Sergio Andrés ‘Supermán’ Olaya Silva is recovering from an armed attack. Olaya Silva was shot in the abdomen during an incident he attributes to political disputes rather than robbery or personal matters. After undergoing surgery at the Clínica Medical Duarte, he has been discharged but remains under strict recovery protocols and expresses significant concern regarding his personal security and the psychological trauma of the event.