A former mayor allied with presidential candidate Abelardo de La Espriella was shot lifeless in Colombia’s heartland, native authorities mentioned Saturday (Could 17, 2026). One in all his aides was additionally killed.
The killings of Rogers Devia and his staffer Eder Cardona have been the newest incident of political violence in a area below dispute by two teams labelled as terrorists by the U.S. authorities and a 3rd group — a splinter of the as soon as dominant guerrilla Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.
Devia died in an assault by gunmen within the rural space of Cubarral, a metropolis he ruled between 2020-2023 mendacity 170 kilometres (105 miles) south of the capital Bogota, mentioned the Public Defender’s Workplace of the division of Meta in a posting on X.
Mr. De La Espriella represents the Nationwide Salvation Motion.
The Public Defender’s Workplace mentioned the killings may damage “the train of political rights and democratic participation” forward of Colombia’s presidential elections, which happen Could 31.
There shall be no less than half a dozen candidates competing within the election, together with two members of smaller left-wing events. If none of them will get 50% of the votes a run off will happen in June between the highest two contenders.
Colombia’s Inside Minister Armando Benedetti mentioned on his social media channels that investigators have no idea why Devia was attacked. The Minister added that police had lately stopped an assault towards a staffer of one other presidential candidate, Paloma Valencia, in the identical metropolis.
Printed – Could 17, 2026 01:47 am IST