Colombia calls for restoration of state protection for religious leaders amid wave of violence

Colombia has launched a major campaign to return special protection status to religious leaders. This is due to a sharp increase in the number of killings and kidnappings of clergy by armed groups after the government removed them from the list of the most vulnerable categories of citizens in need of state support in 2023.

According to Christian Today, the campaign was initiated by the human rights organization Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW). According to activists, since December 2024 alone, 11 religious leaders have been killed, kidnapped or reported missing. The main demand of the public is to revise the government’s Resolution No. 1066 and return clerics to the National Protection System (NPS).

Recent tragic incidents include the murder of Pastor Jose Otoniel Ortega, who was shot and killed by gunmen during a New Year’s Eve event. In addition, a mass grave with the remains of eight religious and social figures was discovered by law enforcement. Colombian prosecutors link the killings to the activities of the Frente Armando Ríos, a splinter group of the FARC rebel organization.

CSW representatives emphasize that armed gangs are targeting clerics because they see them as a serious obstacle to their criminal influence in the regions. Anna Lee Stangle, head of advocacy at CSW, said that the level of violence in the country is returning to the levels of «the darkest days of years of internal conflict.»

In connection with the critical situation, a special petition has been prepared to be delivered to the winner of the presidential election scheduled for May 31. Human rights activists insist that the new leadership of the country must recognize the particular vulnerability of religious leaders and restore their access to security programs and state protection mechanisms.