Colombia’s Human Rights Crisis Exposed in Annual US Report

The United States Department of State has drawn attention to the concerning situation in Colombia in its latest annual report on human rights. Released on April 22nd in Washington, the report was unveiled during a press briefing with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, covering developments throughout the year 2023.

The federal executive department responsible for international relations highlighted instances of arbitrary or unlawful executions, including extrajudicial killings, as well as cases of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment by both government security forces and armed groups in Colombia.

The report presents the situation of abuse, citing “serious government corruption, crimes involving violence or threats of violence against members of racial and ethnic groups, including Afro-Colombian and indigenous peoples, crimes involving violence or threats against individuals identifying as LGBTQI+.”

Terrorist groups linked to human rights violations in Colombia

Continued actions of designated terrorist organizations in Colombia also were reported. Dissident factions of the FARC, the National Liberation Army (ELN), drug trafficking syndicates, and various criminal gangs persist in committing egregious human rights violations and violent crimes in the country.

According to the findings, armed groups like the FARC, ELN, and the Gulf Clan are responsible for a number of unlawful killings, particularly in regions with significant illicit economic activities and weak state presence. Additionally, former FARC members involved in the peace process have voiced concerns over unfulfilled government commitments, notably regarding the safety and reintegration of demobilized combatants.

Furthermore, the report examines allegations implicating government officials in arbitrary or extrajudicial killings: “Human rights organizations, victims, and government investigators accused some members of the security forces of collaborating with or tolerating the activities of criminal gangs, including some former paramilitary members.”

US report implicates Colombian government in corruption

The report also highlights pervasive government corruption, particularly at the local level, and its impact on the implementation of peace agreement initiatives. “There was corruption within the justice system. Revenues from transnational organized crime, including drug trafficking and illegal gold mining, exacerbated corruption,” the report says.

Prosecutors investigating officials reported that, since January, they have initiated 12 new investigations into nine former senators and three former representatives of the Chamber, 36 investigations into 39 former governors, 94 investigations into 25 governors, and four investigations into former mayors.

Notably, civil society organizations like the National Association of Displaced Afrodescendants have raised alarms about escalating threats and violence targeting community leaders and Afro-Colombian populations, resulting in significant forced displacement, particularly in coastal regions.

Further human rights violations were observed within the framework of conflict and drug trafficking. Narcotraffickers and armed factions displaced largely impoverished and rural communities. In regions such as Cauca, Choco, Cordoba, Nariño, and Norte de Santander, these groups exploited children—Venezuelan, indigenous, and Afro-Colombian alike—in human trafficking operations. They were forcibly recruited to serve as combatants and informants, to harvest illicit crops, and to be exploited in sex trafficking.