Colombia human rights defenders face death threats

Human rights defenders and social leaders in Colombia are facing an escalation of violence and death threats, according to reports from the José Alvear Restrepo Lawyers Collective (CAJAR) and the Ombudsman's Office.

On October 18, several individuals received death threats via mobile phone, including Yessika Hoyos Morales of CAJAR, and spokespersons for the National Movement of Victims of State Crimes (MOVICE) Sucre Chapter: Candelaria Barrios Acosta, Malena Martínez Montoya, and Juan David Díaz Chamorro. The threats demand they cease their work regarding a judicial process involving William Martínez Santamaría, the former director of Comfasucre.

In September 2026, the Superior Court of Sincelejo sentenced Martínez Santamaría to 27 years in prison for his role in the 2018 La Guripa massacre in Sucre, which resulted in the deaths of three brothers. The legal proceedings have been linked to long-standing land disputes and previous reports of aggression against the victims' families.