In an Extraordinary Security Council, Governor Rafael Martínez announced the situation of a group of social and community leaders from the “El Parque” neighborhood of the Santa Marta District, who on June 20 were threatened with death through messages and pamphlets. , due to its oversight and social activity.
The affected citizens are Rafael Rebolledo, Héctor Pacheco, Yenira Ureche, Mario Señas and Laura Mendivil, members of the Fuerza Ciudadana Party, who filed the corresponding complaint with the Attorney General’s Office, through criminal notice number 2024062100-418.
In this regard, the commander of the Santa Marta Metropolitan Police, Colonel Jorge Bernal, informed the governor that the threats were indeed made in the capital of Magdalena and that they are directed against the lives of social leaders belonging to the Fuerza Ciudadana party. This fact draws the attention of the police intelligence unit, which is why the immediate accompaniment program was activated by uniformed officers from Sijín, Sipol and the human rights unit.
The sectional director of the Magdalena Prosecutor’s Office, Madeleyne Pérez, indicated that the roadmap that seeks the protection of the victims is active, specifying that there is a local prosecutor expressly designated for the investigation of these events that violate the human rights of social leaders. Likewise, she pointed out that this situation will be reported to the Attorney General of the Nation, from where it has been ordered to intensify the procedures that ensure the defense of the threatened leaders.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner, through its delegate for the defense of human rights, supported the requests made by the governor to intervene and manage the defense of the lives of the victims, specifying the need to immediately activate the protection measures.
In statements made to the media, the governor of Magdalena urged the authorities to work tirelessly to guarantee the lives of the victims, stating that their activism cannot be harmed by criminals. Rafael Martínez specified: “We are not going to wait for these threats to turn into crimes. We must continue attacking these structures and tell them that there is no permissiveness with crime here, much less alliance with armed groups. The order is to attack all those who want to continue intimidating and generating terror in the city.”
Martínez also held the Santa Marta District administration responsible for the campaign of hate, stigmatization and instigation carried out for ideological reasons against those who are active in the Fuerza Ciudadana Party. He denounced the irresponsible accusations that his militancy is allied with the National Police in a plot to assassinate Mr. Pinedo Cuello and to articulate publications with journalists from W Radio to discredit him, which has incited ideological persecution in the area by the criminal organizations operating in the city.
Magdalena Government Statement
