Using data from Colombia’s Electoral Observation Mission (MOE), a platform which promotes the freedom to exercise civil and political rights, this graphic illustrates the spread of violence against political candidates and pre-candidates in Colombia during the electoral periods for the 2015 and 2019 local elections.
Since the 1940s, Colombia has been no stranger to political violence. Spikes in violence can often be traced back to the conflict with the guerrillas, most notably during the terror campaign conducted in the 1980s and 1990s against the Patriotic Union, the left-wing party associated with the rebels.
Several years after the signing of the 2016 peace agreement between the government and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, political violence persists.
The 2015 map depicts 34 instances of violence – not including threats – committed between October 27, 2014 and October 25, 2015 against candidates and pre-candidates running in the 2015 local elections. Of these 34 cases, there were 10 murders, 21 attacks, two disappearances and one kidnapping.
;)
- = 1 case
- = 2 cases
- = 3 cases or more
2015 Acts of violence
Antioquia
X;)
Jose Alirio Prieto
-
MunicipalityBello
-
PositionPre-candidate for town council
-
PartyPartido de la U
-
ActMurder
;)
Diana Patricia Alvarez
-
MunicipalityBarbosa
-
PositionCandidate for town council
-
PartyPartido/Alianza Verde
-
ActAttack
;)
Alfonso Gonzalez Soto
-
MunicipalityEl Carmen de Viboral
-
PositionCandidate for town council
-
PartyASI
-
ActMurder
;)
Andrés Guerra
-
MunicipalityMedellín
-
PositionCandidate for governor
-
PartyCentro Democrático
-
ActAttack
;)
Ángel Mesa Castro
-
MunicipalityEl Bagre
-
PositionMayoral candidate
-
PartyConvergencia/PIN/Opción Ciudadana
-
ActAttack
Arauca
X
Edgar Guzman Robles
-
MunicipalityArauquita
-
PositionGubernatorial candidate
-
PartyConvergencia/PIN/Opción Ciudadana
-
ActAttack
Bolívar
X
Mayerlis Angarita
-
MunicipalitySan Juan Nepomuceno
-
PositionMayoral candidate
-
PartyASI
-
ActAttack
Boyacá
X
Gilberto Bustos Castañeda
-
MunicipalityPuerto Boyacá
-
PositionCandidate for town council
-
PartyPartido de la U
-
ActMurder
Caquetá
X
Luis Antonio Peralta
-
MunicipalityEl Doncello
-
PositionMayoral pre-candidate
-
PartySin Partido (precandidato)
-
ActMurder

Sandra Milena Floriano
-
MunicipalityEl Doncello
-
PositionMayoral candidate
-
PartyCambio Radical
-
ActAttack
Casanare
X
Arsenio Sandoval
-
MunicipalityYopal
-
PositionMayoral candidate
-
PartyCentro Democrático
-
ActAttack

Luis Ivan Roa Castro
-
MunicipalityAguazul
-
PositionCandidate for town council
-
PartyPolo Democrático
-
ActMurder
Cauca
X
Eliberto Narváez Hoyos
-
MunicipalityPatía
-
PositionPre-candidate for municipal council
-
PartyPolo Democrático
-
ActMurder

Manuel Garces Granja
-
MunicipalityLópez
-
PositionMayoral pre-candidate
-
PartyGSC
-
ActAttack
Huila
X
Silvio Gomez Claro
-
MunicipalityPitalito
-
PositionMayoral candidate
-
PartyCentro Democrático
-
ActAttack
La Guajira
X
Juan Carlos Soto
-
MunicipalityBarrancas
-
PositionMayoral candidate
-
PartyPartido Liberal
-
ActAttack
Magdalena
X
José Joaquín Vives
-
MunicipalitySanta Marta
-
PositionGubernatorial candidate
-
PartyPartido Liberal
-
ActAttack

Alfonso Alfaro Tejeda
-
MunicipalityPlato
-
PositionMayoral candidate
-
PartyCambio Radical
-
ActAttack
Meta
X
Esperanza Vargas Quimbaya
-
MunicipalityVillavicencio
-
PositionMayoral candidate
-
PartyGSC
-
ActAttack
Nariño
X
Helman Solarte
-
MunicipalityEl Tambo
-
PositionCandidate for municipal candidate
-
PartyPartido Conservador
-
ActMurder

Giraldo Ojeda
-
MunicipalityAlbán
-
PositionMayoral candidate
-
PartyPartido Conservador
-
ActMurder

Sonia Zoraida Cifuentes
-
MunicipalityPolicarpa
-
PositionMayoral candidate
-
PartyCambio Radical
-
ActAttack

Luis Carlos Lucero
-
MunicipalityLinares
-
PositionMayoral candidate
-
PartyPartido/Alianza Verde
-
ActAttack
Norte de Santander
X
Diego Villamizar Salinas
-
MunicipalityCúcuta
-
PositionPre-candidate for town council
-
PartyCentro Democrático
-
ActAttack

Victor Julio Claro
-
MunicipalityLa Playa
-
PositionMayoral candidate
-
PartyPartido Conservador
-
ActAttack
Santander
X
Rafael Picon
-
MunicipalityEl Playón
-
PositionCandidate for assembly
-
PartyCentro Democrático
-
ActAttack
Sucre
X
Hugo Sanchez Alquerque
-
MunicipalityLos Palmitos
-
PositionCandidate for town council
-
PartyUnión Patriótica
-
ActAttack
Tolima
X
Jorge Enrique Oliveros
-
MunicipalityAtaco
-
PositionMayoral pre-candidate
-
PartySin Partido (precandidato)
-
ActKidnapping

Edwin Berrio
-
MunicipalityIbagué
-
PositionCandidate for assembly
-
PartyPartido Conservador
-
ActAttack
Valle del Cauca
X
Leonardo Nieto
-
MunicipalityYumbo
-
PositionMayoral pre-candidate
-
PartySin Partido (precandidato)
-
ActMurder

Javier Serrano Copete
-
MunicipalityEl Cerrito
-
PositionPre-candidate for town council
-
PartyCambio Radical
-
ActDisappearance

Iganacio Londoño Zabala
-
MunicipalityCartago
-
PositionMayoral pre-candidate
-
PartyGSC
-
ActMurder

Jair Meneses
-
MunicipalityCali
-
PositionCandidate for city council
-
PartyASI
-
ActAttack

Mirama Montoya Baltán
-
MunicipalityBuenaventura
-
PositionCandidatefor local administrative board
-
PartyDisappearance
-
ActDesaparición
2019 Acts of violence
Antioquia
X;)
Héctor Gómez Barrios
-
MunicipalityMedellín
-
PositionMayoral pre-candidate
-
PartyPartido Liberal
-
ActMurder
;)
Nelson Enrique Gaviria Garcia
-
MunicipalityBetania
-
PositionCandidate for town council
-
PartyCambio radical
-
ActMurder

Hernando Orley García Vásquez
-
MunicipalityToledo
-
PositionMayoral candidate
-
PartyCoalición
-
ActMurder

Jhon Jairo Vásquez
-
MunicipalityCaucasia
-
PositionCandidate for municipal council
-
PartyCambio Radical
-
ActAttack
Arauca
X
Jahir Corredor
-
MunicipalitySaravena
-
PositionMayoral pre-candidate
-
PartyCentro Democrático
-
ActAttack
Bolívar
X
Belisario Arciniega García
-
MunicipalityMorales
-
PositionPre-candidate for town council
-
PartyPartido de la U
-
ActMurder

Kaleth Mejía Gaibao
-
MunicipalitySan Pablo
-
PositionPre-candidate for town council
-
PartyCentro Democrático
-
ActAttack

Luis Eduardo Caldera Villaminzar
-
MunicipalitySan Jacinto del Cauca
-
PositionCandidate for town council
-
PartyPartido de la U
-
ActMurder
Caquetá
X
Hervi Abello Horta
-
MunicipalitySan José del Fragua
-
PositionMayoral candidate
-
PartyCoalición
-
ActAttack
Cauca
X
Cesar Lizardo Cerón
-
MunicipalitySuárez
-
PositionMayoral pre-candidate
-
PartyLíder sin partido
-
ActAttack

Ceferino Sánchez
-
MunicipalityCaloto
-
PositionPre-candidate for assembly
-
PartyLíder sin partido
-
ActAttack

Karina García Sierra
-
MunicipalitySuárez
-
PositionMayoral candidate
-
PartyPartido Liberal
-
ActMurder

Yeison Obando
-
MunicipalitySuárez
-
PositionCandidate for town council
-
PartyPartido Liberal
-
ActMurder

Rubén Darío Banguero
-
MunicipalityCaloto
-
PositionMayoral candidate
-
PartyPartido Colombia Renaciente
-
ActAttack
Cesar
X
Misael Liz Quintero
-
MunicipalityLa Jagua de Ibirico
-
PositionMayoral pre-candidate
-
PartyLíder sin partido
-
ActAttack
Chocó
X
Tulio Mosquera Asprilla
-
MunicipalityAlto Baudó
-
PositionMayoral candidate
-
PartyPartido Liberal
-
ActSecuestro
Córdoba
X
Jorge Herney Castrillón Gutiérrez
-
MunicipalitySan José de Uré
-
PositionMayoral pre-candidate
-
PartyLíder sin Partido
-
ActMurder

Dumer Fernando Barco Palomino
-
MunicipalitySahagún
-
PositionPre-candidate for town council
-
PartyLíder sin Partido
-
ActMurder
Cundinamarca
X
Nelson Bermúdez
-
MunicipalityLa Vega
-
PositionMayoral candidate
-
PartyCoalición
-
ActAttack
Guaviare
X
Heynder Palacios
-
MunicipalitySan José del Guaviare
-
PositionGubernatorial pre-candidate
-
PartyPartido Conservador
-
ActAttack
Magdalena
X
Jesús Galindo
-
MunicipalityEl Retén
-
PositionMayoral candidate
-
PartyReivindicación Étnica "PRE"
-
ActAttack
Nariño
X
Fabián Efraín Prado Rosero
-
MunicipalityMallama
-
PositionPre-candidate for town council
-
PartyMAIS
-
ActMurder

Walter Rodríguez López
-
MunicipalitySan Pedro de Cartago
-
PositionMayoral candidate
-
PartyPartido de la U
-
ActAttack
Norte de Santander
X
Emiro del Carmen Ropero
-
MunicipalityConvención
-
PositionCandidate for assembly
-
PartyFARC
-
ActAttack

Betsaida Montejo Pérez
-
MunicipalitySan Calixto
-
PositionMayoral candidate
-
PartyGSC
-
ActAttack

Bernardo Betancurt Orozco
-
MunicipalityTibú
-
PositionMayoral candidate
-
PartyPartido Conservador
-
ActMurder
Putumayo
X
Sonia Rosero González
-
MunicipalityPuerto Asís
-
PositionMayoral pre-candidate
-
PartyLíder sin partido
-
ActMurder
Santander
X
Nicolás Contreras
-
MunicipalityBarrancabermeja
-
PositionMayoral candidate
-
PartyGSC
-
ActAttack

Pacifico Ayala Lance
-
MunicipalityPuerto Wilches
-
PositionCandidate for town council
-
PartyPartido Liberal
-
ActAttack
Valle del Cauca
X
Hugo Eduardo Cedeño
-
MunicipalityCartago
-
PositionMayoral pre-candidate
-
PartyLíder sin partido
-
ActAttack

Silvio Montaño Arango
-
MunicipalityEl Cerrito
-
PositionMayoral pre-candidate
-
PartyLíder sin partido
-
ActMurder

José Daniel Gómez Cruz
-
MunicipalityEl Cairo
-
PositionMayoral pre-candidate
-
PartyPartido Conservador
-
ActMurder

Orlando Ordóñez Vanegas
-
MunicipalityToro
-
PositionPre-candidate for town council
-
PartyCambio Radical
-
ActMurder

Silvio Alonso Álvarez
-
MunicipalityVersalles
-
PositionCandidate for town council
-
PartyCentro Democrático
-
ActMurder
;)
Four years later, in the period between October 27, 2018 and October 18, 2019, there were, again, 34 acts of violence against candidates and pre-candidates. Of note, however, is the increase in murders — 16. Further evidence of the escalation of political violence can be found in the number of threats made, which increased from 79 to 102.
The perpetrators have been merciless: when Nelson Enrique Gaviria García — candidate to the municipality council of Betania, Antioquia — was shot to death in a taxi, sources say that the assailants that stopped the vehicle fired several bullets at a 14-year-old boy who was also sharing the taxi. In the municipality of Suárez (Cauca), a vehicle carrying mayoral candidate Karina García Sierra and young municipal council candidate Yeison Obando was shot at while it traversed a highway, before being set on fire. In addition to both of the candidates, three local activists and Karina García’s mother were also murdered in the attack.
Essential to the understanding of political violence in Colombia is recognizing its indiscriminate nature. MOE data shows no tendency on a national level to disproportionately target any political party or sector in either electoral period.
MOE data shows no tendency on a national level to disproportionately target any political party or sector in either electoral period.
With the majority of the crimes left unsolved, it is nearly impossible to identify the culprits. Given that so much of the violence occurred outside of territories where armed groups are present, there are suspicions that the responsibility for many of the cases lies elsewhere. Ángela Gómez Vega, an investigator for the MOE, explained to Latin America Reports that the “personal interests of individuals” was more likely to be a motivator behind the attacks than ideological antagonism between political parties.
To find out more about the factors explaining political violence in Colombia, read more on our interview with Ángela Gómez Vega here.
*Graphic design by Sebastian Castro and David Gonzalez