Colombia reports 90 social leaders murdered in first seven months of 2026

Colombia's Ombudsman Office (Defensoría del Pueblo) reported that 90 social leaders and human rights defenders were murdered between January and July 2026. The victims included 19 women and 71 men, many of whom were involved in community processes and territorial defense in regions with a presence of illegal armed groups and illicit economies.

In addition to the killings of leaders, the report documented 77 massacres that resulted in 300 deaths. The department of Cauca recorded the highest number of murders with 21 cases, followed by Antioquia with 11, Valle del Cauca with 9, Norte de Santander with 8, and Arauca with 6. Cauca and Antioquia also led the list for massacres, with 13 and 11 incidents respectively.

The data also shows that five signatories of the Peace Agreement were killed during this period. Since January 2016, a total of 1,755 such cases have been recorded. While reports indicate a reduction in murders compared to the previous administration, the current figures remain high, with an average of one social leader killed every two and a half days.