Two men working for right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella were shot dead Friday night in Meta Department, a region long contested by armed groups and drug traffickers. The ombudsman warned the killings "seriously affect" citizens' ability to take part in the May 31 presidential election. Several major candidates have reported death threats and security has become a top campaign issue. Authorities say investigations are ongoing.
Two Campaign Aides for Right-Wing Colombian Candidate Shot Dead in Meta Ahead of May 31 Vote
2 presidential campaign staffers killed in Colombia weeks before election
Two campaign aides working for right-wing presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella were shot and killed Friday night in Colombia's central-western Meta Department, officials said.
The assailants, who witnesses described as riding on motorcycles, opened fire on the two men, according to statements from the candidate and local authorities. Meta has long been a contested region where armed groups that rejected the 2016 peace accord with the now-defunct FARC operate, and it is also a known conduit for cocaine trafficking.
Rising Security Concerns Ahead of Election
The killings come just weeks before the May 31 presidential election. The national ombudsman’s office posted on X that such attacks, occurring so close to voting, "seriously affect" citizens' ability to participate in the electoral process.
Security has emerged as a central issue for voters and candidates alike. Colombia has seen a recent surge in killings and rebel attacks, and several high-profile candidates — including leftist front-runner Iván Cepeda and de la Espriella — have reported receiving death threats and routinely travel with heavy security details.
In a related incident this year, Cepeda’s vice-presidential running mate was briefly kidnapped in February by rebels who reject the 2016 accord. Authorities also suspect a separate renegade group in the killing of presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe in June of last year.
Impact: Observers and election officials warn that a campaign of violence and intimidation could depress turnout and undermine the fairness and safety of the vote to replace Colombia’s first leftist president, Gustavo Petro.
Investigations are ongoing. Local and national authorities have been urged to increase security in volatile regions and to determine whether the recent killings are part of a broader pattern of election-related violence.
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