In the town of Poponte, municipality of Chiriguaná, in the department of Cesar, a recently emerged armed group unknown to the authorities has caused a wave of terror among its inhabitants, most of them peasants.
This group, calling itself the “Renacer Poponte Revolutionary Organization,” has begun distributing threatening pamphlets, resulting in two homicides and the forced displacement of approximately 50 families.
The first reported incident involved the death of José Luis Martínez, nicknamed ‘Perico’, a local farmer who was found dead from gunshot wounds on April 3, along with his mule in the Cascabel village.
A pamphlet similar to the one that had been seen days before in the town accompanied the crime scene. Previously, on March 14, Iván Pedraza Luqueta, a retired professional soldier, was found dead under mysterious circumstances in the town of Mochila.
The fear generated by these violent acts has pushed dozens of families to leave their homes, moving stealthily at night through wooded areas and rural roads, in an attempt to avoid being seen or attacked by this group.
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A former resident of Poponte, who now lives abroad and has requested anonymity, shared details of conversations with some of the displaced. These people have left most of their belongings behind, taking only the essentials, while their crops and animals have been abandoned.
The situation has caused the Ombudsman’s Office to request the urgent convening of the Transitional Justice Committee to activate care routes for victims and manage a safe and dignified return for those affected.
The municipal administration, in collaboration with the Victims Unit and other government entities, has been supporting affected families, offering shelter and temporary security.
The presence of public forces has intensified in the region, although no more pamphlets or suspicious subjects have been identified recently, which has led to a “tense calm” in the area.
Additionally, a humanitarian mission made up of representatives from the Cesar Governorate, the Mayor’s Office, the United Nations, and other organizations is working to identify and address the threat from the armed group, which is suspected of having links to the ELN.
Dialogues have been initiated to better understand the situation and seek peaceful solutions that allow the inhabitants of Poponte to resume their lives and agricultural work without fear.
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