A broken-down mayor allied with presidential candidate Abelardo de La Espriella was once shot useless in Colombia’s heartland, local authorities stated Saturday (Might per chance presumably 17, 2026). Regarded as one of his aides was once additionally killed.
The killings of Rogers Devia and his staffer Eder Cardona had been the most modern incident of political violence in a insist under dispute by two groups labelled as terrorists by the U.S. authorities and a third community — a splinter of the once dominant guerrilla Modern Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.
Devia died in an attack by gunmen in the rural space of Cubarral, a city he governed between 2020-2023 lying 170 kilometres (105 miles) south of the capital Bogota, stated the Public Defender’s Place of work of the division of Meta in a posting on X.
Mr. De La Espriella represents the National Salvation Slither.
The Public Defender’s Place of work stated the killings may maybe presumably well misery “the exercise of political rights and democratic participation” sooner than Colombia’s presidential elections, which happen Might per chance presumably 31.
There shall be on the least half a dozen candidates competing in the election, including two contributors of smaller left-soar parties. If none of them gets 50% of the votes a walk off will happen in June between the tip two contenders.
Colombia’s Inner Minister Armando Benedetti stated on his social media channels that investigators cease no longer know why Devia was once attacked. The Minister added that police had fair no longer too prolonged ago stopped an attack in opposition to a staffer of one more presidential candidate, Paloma Valencia, in the identical city.
Published – Might per chance presumably 17, 2026 01:47 am IST
