Wave of violence in Buenaventura leaves 23 dead and raises alert about war between groups. There has been a sharp escalation of violence in Buenaventura, Colombia, where at least 23 people were killed between February and March 2026, most of them young men aged 17 to 30. Prompting a warning from the Ombudsman’s Office about...
The UN says that Petro’s government has failed to protect human rights defenders. A UN report has warned that the government of Gustavo Petro has failed to curb violence against human rights defenders in Colombia despite its initial commitments, noting that at least 410 social leaders were killed between 2022 and 2025, with a surge...
On 8 March2026, Colombia held congressional elections, the first major vote of the year ahead of the presidential election at the end of May 2026, with a second round in June if necessary. In the Senate, the left-wing party of President Gustavo Petro, the Pacto Historico (Historic Pact), emerged as the largest political force, winning 25 of the 103 seats. The second-largest party was the Centro Democratico (Democratic Centre), the party founded by a former...
ABColombia expresses its profound concern regarding the serious humanitarian situation that has been unfolding in the rural area of Aracataca-Magdalena with reports of armed confrontations between the Clan del Golfo and the Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra Nevada (ASCN). The Arhuaco Indigenous community in the Sierra Neva de Santa Marta, Colombia, are caught in the middle of the crossfire. On 6 March 2026, armed clashes between the Clan del Golfo and the Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra Nevada in rural areas of Aracataca have resulted in the death of an indigenous person from Serankwa and another...
ABColombia expresses its profound concern regarding the threats and statements posted on social media stigmatizing the work of CINEP on 4 March 2026, putting them and the communities they accompany at risk. Of grave concern is the context in which these statements were issued, as Chocó sees a resurgence of armed violence against the civilian population. This has increased fear and concern for those who...
On 3 February 2026, there was a meeting between President Gustavo Petro and President Donald Trump in the White House. Just one month before the Trump administration had removed former Venezuelan President, Nicolás Maduro and his family from Venezuela. Trump in a press interview, following the action involving the former Venezuelan President, stated that Colombian...
In 12 days on Sunday 8 March 2026, Colombia will hold Congressional Elections. There are considerable concerns for the safety of voters and because of the pressure that armed groups could bring to bear on voters in areas of complex conflict. As a result, for the second time in its history, the European Union...
On 17 October 2025, following a long and painful struggle by the family of Marino Escobar Aroca, the President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro recognised the responsibility of the Colombian State in the disappearance and killing of Marino Escobar in a ceremony that took place in Bogotá. At the ceremony his daughter, Diana Escobar Santander responded...
On 4 February 2026, parliamentarians, civil servants, experts, campaigners, academics, and community representatives gathered in the UK Parliament for a timely discussion on the growing dangers to global security posed by the Investor–State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) — a legal mechanism contained in international trade and investment agreements that allows foreign investors to sue governments in...
Corporate Justice Coalition are a group of organisations and individuals who have come together to end corporate abuses of human rights and the environment. 15 October, 2025: As the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) embarks on the 11th negotiation session for a legally binding treaty on business and human rights, the undersigned 18 organisations call on...
