The department of Cauca, and the Colombian Pacific in general, have been a persistent symbol of the violence that has marked the country for decades. Despite the optimism generated by the signing of the Peace Agreement in 2016 between the Colombian government and the FARC, Cauca and other territories in the country remain trapped in a cycle of conflict that seems perpetual. The current reality of the region, marked by serious violations of international humanitarian law (IHL) and human rights, forces us to reflect on the unfulfilled promises of the national government.
In 2023, according to a report from the Popular Research and Education Center (Cinep) and the NGO Colombia Diversa (2023), 121 cases of IHL violations, 42 human rights violations and 212 cases of political-social violence were documented. These figures not only represent cold statistics, but reflect the pain of hundreds of families, the forced displacement of entire communities and the growing sense of insecurity.
The massive support that President Gustavo Petro and Francia Márquez received in the 2022 elections in Cauca, where 79% of the electorate voted for them, reflects the population’s hope for change. But hope remained at that. In a dream that was built on populist speeches and that today is cracking due to inaction and oblivion. The expectations of peace and progress with which they seduced voters with impunity collide head-on with a reality dominated by terror and anxiety.
The situation in Cauca is unsustainable and requires an immediate response from the government. We cannot allow it to continue being an epicenter of suffering and hopelessness under the undaunted gaze of those who used them in the elections and today forget them. Those “nobodies” who were the protagonists of his speeches, today are the protagonists of his oblivion.
Let the president and vice president, who is also from this region, know that we are not asking them for a favor. Do not confuse. We are demanding that they act in accordance with constitutional mandates. Anything different, any delay, is complicity with the crime and must entail criminal consequences for their omissions. It is imperative that measures be implemented that not only stop the violence, but also address the root causes of the conflict. What was so urgent in his speeches no longer waits in practice.
Justice must be accessible to all victims and those responsible for human rights violations must be brought to justice. No more condescension to criminals while we radically judge our military. No more misrepresentation of history. No more indifference.
Peace in Colombia will not be complete as long as Cauca remains an open wound in the social fabric of the country. It is necessary to protect the civilian population and for peace to be not just an agreement on paper, but a tangible reality for all Colombians. The inhabitants of the Colombian Pacific are more than voters, we are Colombians who deserve the protection of the State and the guarantee of our rights. No more unpunished impudence.
