The Human Face of Trade Unionists Murdered in Colombia

In 2010, 51 trade unionists were assassinated in Colombia, leading the world once again. 

The following represents a sampling of individual cases of violence against trade unionists in 2010, including cases of threats and murders.  Translated texts of recent death threats are available here. Information comes from the Colombian labor central CUT, the ITUC, and ICTUR.

2010

20 June, Ibio Efren Caicedo, union member and activist with the Antioquia teachers' association (ADIDA). Ibio Efren's murder brings to seven the number of unionized teachers assassinated in Antioquia in 2010.

17 June, Nelson Camacho Gonzalez, died after being shot repeatedly while waiting for the bus to take him to work. Camacho Gonzalez was a member of the oil industry's united workers union USO (Union Sindical Obrera).  His murder took place during an industrial dispute between the union and the multinational British Petroleum in Casanare. BIO

5 June, Hernán Abdiel Ordoñez Dorado, treasurer of the executive board of the prison workers’ union ASEINPEC in Cali. Ordoñez was in the company of his mother when he was attacked by unknown assailants travelling by motorbike, who shot him dead with four bullets. BIO

17 May, Francisco Antonio Abello, a member of the agricultural workers’ union SINTRAINAGRO, was assassinated in the town of San Juan de Palo Prieto, in the Department of Magdalena. BIO

12 May, Leslien Torcoroma, a teacher and member of the Norte se Santander region teachers’ union ASINORT, was assassinated in the town of Abrego, Department of Norte de Santander.

4 May, Fabián Franco Tigreros, a traffic guard, member of the Valle del Cauca region public sector union SINALSERPUB, was assassinated in the city of Jamundi, Department of Valle del Cauca.

3 May, Rodolfo Vecino, an executive member of the oil workers’ union USO, received threatening phone calls from paramilitary groups.

From January 28 through early May, at least four teachers affiliated to the teachers’ association of Cordoba, ADEMACOR, have been assassinated in the Department of Cordoba. Overto Beltrán Narváez, Rigoberto Polo Contreras, Elkin Eduardo González and Benito Díaz Álvarez were all killed by unknown assailants close to their workplaces. The president of ADIDA, Over Dorado Cardona, was also the victim of an armed attack, which he fortunately escaped unharmed.

25 April, Benito Días Álvarez, a member of the Cordoba region teachers’ union ADEMACOR, was found in his home with his throat slit, in the town of San Bernardo del Viento, Department of Córdoba.

23 April, Diego Escobar Cuellar, Wilson Sáenz, Álvaro Vega, Omar Romero, Henry Domínguez, and Eduard Alberto Villegas, all members of the local CUT executive branch for Valle del Cauca, received threatening phone calls from paramilitary groups.

22 April, Diego Fernando Escobar Múnera, a criminal court judge and member of Association of Judicial workers ASONAL JUDICIAL, was assassinated in the city of Medellín, Department of Antioquia.

21 April, Elkin Eduardo Gonzalez, a member of the Cordoba region teachers’ union ADEMACOR, went missing. Later her body was found in the town of Tierra Alta, Department of Córdoba.

21 April, Alcidiades González Castro, a member of the agricultural workers’ union of Arauca ACA, was assassinated in the town of Tame, in the Department of Arauca.

9 April, Martha Cecilia Díaz Suárez, President of the local government workers’ union ASTDEMP and David Florez, member of the Santander, CUT executive branch, received  threatening letters from paramilitary groups.

17 March, Israel Verona, a member of the agricultural workers’ union of Arauca ACA, was assassinated in the town of Saravena, in the Department of Arauca.

21 February, Marco Aaron Suarez, a local level leader of the oil workers’ union USO, was subjected to an attempt on his life in the town of Puerto Gaitan, Department of Meta. His vehicle received several bullets.

10 February, the brothers Omar Alonso and José de Jesús Restrepo Ospina, both members of the miners and agricultural workers’ union of the South of Bolivar Department FEDEAGROMISBOL, went missing. Later their bodies were found in the Cauca River in the region of South of Bolivar, Department of Bolivar. Both bodies were found with visible signs of torture.

3 February, Rigoberto Polo Contreras, a member of the Cordoba region teachers’ union ADEMACOR, was assassinated in the town of Tuchin, Department of Córdoba.

28 January, Overto Beltrán Narváez, a member of the Cordoba region teachers’ union ADEMACOR, was assassinated in the town of San Antero, Department of Córdoba.

27 January, German Osman, national President of the oil workers’ union USO, received threatening phone calls from paramilitary groups.

18 January, Jaime Bazante Guzman, a member of the Cauca region teachers’ union SUTEC, was assassinated in the town of Caloto, Department of Cauca.

14 January, armed men entered the Plantation of Palo Alto, in the region of Ciénaga, Department of Magdalena.  The men demanded to know the whereabouts of Jose Luis Soto Jaramillo and Juan Carlos Torres Munson, members of the agricultural workers’ union SINTRAINAGRO. The men then fired shots, wounding a worker Miguel August Cuenca Torregroza, and forced 185 workers to leave their workplace at gunpoint.

For a list of assassinations of trade unionists from 1986-2009, visit the CUT's report here.