Awá Indigenous People reject Colombian government proposal for guard registry

The Awá Indigenous People's Unit (UNIPA) has rejected a proposal by the Colombian Ministry of the Interior to create an information system for Indigenous Guards. The organization argues that the decree could undermine their autonomy and jeopardize the safety of those protecting their territories. UNIPA expressed concern that collecting personal data on guard members could expose them to increased risks of persecution and violence, noting the community's history of facing massacres and threats.

Simultaneously, President Abelardo De La Espriella has held meetings with representatives of Indigenous, Black, Afro-Colombian, Raizal, and Palenquera communities in Barranquilla and the Casa de Nariño. While the government presents these encounters as the start of a new relationship with ethnic groups, the meetings have raised questions regarding political representation and which specific leaders or organizations hold the legitimate authority to speak for these diverse peoples.