Colombia's Nariño Department Grapples with Rise in ‘Social Extermination’ Murders

Authorities in Colombia's Nariño department have reported a surge in killings described as “exterminio social,” a criminal practice targeting homeless individuals, drug users, petty thieves, members of the LGBTI community and other socially marginalized groups. The victims' bodies have been discovered in neighborhoods and along roads in municipalities such as Pasto, Ipiales and Tumaco, indicating the phenomenon is spreading beyond major cities like Bogotá and Medellín.

The killings are carried out individually rather than in mass attacks, and investigators note a lack of collective responsibility but a pattern of impunity. Critics allege that some state actors may be complicit or silent, urging citizen participation to identify perpetrators. Local officials are being called upon to implement corrective measures and address the rising urban violence linked to this “social cleansing” trend.