The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) expressed concern on Friday over the acts of political violence that have occurred during Colombia’s electoral process. The call from this body reflects the reality amid which the elections to choose the successor to President Gustavo Petro will be held this Sunday, May 31.
In that context, it urged the State to adopt all necessary measures to guarantee the development of the final phase of the presidential elections, particularly the security of presidential candidates.
The IACHR indicated that, within the framework of the electoral process, candidates and political leaders have been subjected to threats and acts of violence. Reported cases include threats against Iván Cepeda, Abelardo de la Espriella, and Paloma Valencia.
IACHR Refers to Several Acts of Violence
The commission also noted the kidnapping of vice-presidential candidate Aida Quilcué on February 10; the murders of Rogers Mauricio Devia Escobar and Fabián Cardona, members of the campaign team of the Defenders of the Homeland movement (Abelardo de la Espriella’s political movement) in the department of Meta on May 15; and the attack against Senator Alexander López on May 20 after participating in a political event alongside Iván Cepeda.
“These events are occurring in a context of multiple reports regarding the expansion and strengthening of territorial control by armed groups and criminal organizations, which constitutes a barrier to the exercise of the political rights of the civilian population,” the IACHR warned in a statement. In fact, the public security situation is one of the major issues that the current government will leave to the next President of the Republic.
The commission also cites information from the Electoral Observation Mission (MOE), according to which 386 municipalities, equivalent to one-third of the country’s total, present risks for the conduct of the elections. Of these, 139 are classified as extreme risk, 122 as high risk, and 125 as medium risk. The departments with the highest number of municipalities in extreme-risk situations are Cauca and Antioquia, followed by Arauca, Cesar, Caldas, and Chocó.
Based on information provided by the State, the IACHR also acknowledged the implementation of the Democracy Plan 2026, aimed at guiding the actions of the security forces during the pre-electoral, electoral, and post-electoral phases, as well as coordinating with civil, administrative, and electoral authorities to protect individuals at risk.
One indicator of the country’s situation is that since March 8, protection details for presidential and vice-presidential candidates have been reinforced with more than 460 police officers, 260 members of the National Protection Unit, and 94 armored vehicles.
The State Must Guarantee Political Rights
In its account of events, the IACHR also noted that more than 11,400 members of the security forces and public security agencies have been deployed throughout various regions of the country to accompany and protect candidates. These security arrangements were reviewed and expanded on April 24.
The commission further reported that the Office of the Inspector General created a temporary commission to monitor compliance with the recommendations issued by the Ombudsman’s Office in its Early Warning 013-2025 regarding the electoral process.
Within this framework, authorities have highlighted the diligence of investigations, the incorporation of a gender perspective, and the creation of new virtual and in-person channels for receiving complaints regarding violations of the right to political participation.
Based on all of the above, the IACHR recalled the State’s obligation to guarantee the full exercise of political rights under safe and equal conditions.
To achieve this, it is necessary to adopt effective measures of prevention, protection, and investigation in response to acts of political violence, along with the implementation of comprehensive public policies that promote the demobilization of armed groups and criminal organizations.