Indigenous Leaders Killed

On 1 September 2026, Indigenous human rights defender María Ovidia Palechor and her partner James Flor were shot and killed in their home in Cajibío, Cauca department.

María Ovidia Palechor was a highly respected indigenous defender of women’s rights, human and territorial rights and a well-known peace activist. She coordinated the women’s and human rights work for the Cauca Indigenous Regional Council (CRIC), one of Colombia’s most influential indigenous organisations. James Flor worked to defend the rights of victims and peasant communities. Both worked to support community processes in the La Pedregosa Peace Territory and had repeatedly denounced the presence, threats and intimidation by armed actors in the area.

Both repeatedly denounced the presence, threats and intimidation by armed actors in the territories. When an explosive device was ignited by dissidents on 25 April 2026 on the Pan-American Highway in Cauca leaving 20 people dead, in serious violation of international humanitarian law, María Ovidia Palchor spoke out publicly condemning the attack.

The Colombian Human Rights Ombudsman, due to the rapidly deteriorating situation had issued an Alert 019 of 2026 highlighting the severe risks faced by communities and social leaders in Cauca. It is essential that the Colombian Government increases protection for community leaders in Cauca and collective protection measures for communities.

The alarming number of human rights defenders being killed in Colombia continues. According to INDEPAZ 103 human rights defenders have been killed between 1 January and 10 September 2026.

ABColombia supports the call from the Tejido Nacional de Mujeres Indígenas (the National Network of Indigenous Women) calling on the Colombian State to:

  • guarantee genuine safety and protection for those who defend their territories;
  • carry out prompt investigations to identify and punish those responsible – both the perpetrators and authors of the crimes;
  • respond effectively to warnings regarding the risks faced by communities and, in particular, women human rights defenders.
  • Immediately take actions based on the Human Rights Ombudsman’s Early Warning Alert 019 of 2026 highlighting the severe risks in Cauca.
  • strengthen collective prevention and protection measures, with territorial, ethnic and gender approaches, for communities and social organisations in Cauca;