Ronald Rojas, signer of the Peace Agreement of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), was killed in the last few hours, apparently by a sniper.
The victim, killed in Palermo, Huila, He was commander of the Southern Bloc of the Farc and a member of the Comunes party, which emerged following the agreement, until 2021.
During his time in illegality, he was known under the alias of Ramiro Durán. The former guerrilla participated in the negotiations in Havana.
The man was killed when he was in a farm that would be owned by his family, according to Martín Batalla, who is a reincorporated member of the Farc.
“How long will we have to continue burying our signatories committed to peace?”Battle assured.
It transpired that Rojas managed to be transferred to a health center, but, due to the seriousness of the injuries, he did not resist and died.
According to the Institute of Studies for Development and Peace (Indepaz) so far this year, 21 signatories of the government agreement with the FARC have been assassinated. This means that, with the death of Ronald Rojas, the figure rises to at least 22.
Former senator Victoria Sandino also lamented the death of a former Farc militant on her social networks. “That vile attack claimed the life of a young fighter for peace, who decidedly opted for a better country,” he said.
He also blamed President Iván Duque and Defense Minister Diego Molano for the death of the signer of the agreement. For the congresswoman, “they are responsible by action or omission; that is the legacy they leave behind. What pain and what impotence”.
Rojas, who was commander of the Southern Bloc of the Farc, resigned from the Comunes party in 2021. At that time he assured The viewer that he did not feel represented by said political force.
“I feel and think that this party structure does not represent me and perhaps many others as well. Therefore, it is an act of consistency to give up such a group. Also, a gesture of dignity,” he asserted.
Despite his resignation, he promised to continue betting on peace: “I publicly declare that my efforts, knowledge and experience will continue to be committed to the defense of the Agreement and the socioeconomic reintegration of former guerrillas. I will always be ready for that.”
Three indigenous people are killed
In other events, a new massacre was recorded in Colombia in the last hours of this Sunday, July 3, according to Indepaz, which reported that there have already been 49 so far this year.
The victims are three members of the Awá Inda Sabaleta reservation, who They were attacked by armed men this Sunday, in the jurisdiction of Tumaco, Nariño.
In a statement issued by the Indigenous Unit of the Awá People “UNIPA” The massacre is attributed to illegal armed groups with a presence in the region.
Among the victims was the reserve’s deputy governor, identified as Juan Orlando Moreano. With his death, there are already 96 social leaders assassinated this year.
The three men killed “They were in an internal meeting of the reservation, analyzing the human rights situation and when they were preparing to return to their homes, actors from illegal armed groups shot them”says the statement.
In the same attack in which these three members of the indigenous reservation died, other members of the community were injured.
“A humanitarian mission of the Indigenous Guard was formed to remove and transfer the bodies to the municipality of Tumaco to be taken to Legal Medicine,” the letter adds.
After this massacre, the community requested the immediate accompaniment of different institutions, including the Ombudsman’s Office, the Government of Nariño, the Presidential Council for Human Rights and the Attorney General’s Office.
Likewiseasked the international organizations that defend human rights to express their solidarity with this situation of violence.
“The Ombudsman’s Office had warned of this risk in early warning 045-19, especially for the Awá population of the municipalities of Tumaco, Barbacoas and Ricaurte,” Indepaz pointed out.
