Security update
October 17: a former mayor's bodyguard killed in Jamundí, and the anti-terrorism law clears its first step
Here's what happened since the last update, and what each one means.
1A former mayor of Jamundí attacked, his bodyguard killed
At about 9:20 PM on Friday, October 16, 2 people on a motorcycle opened fire at a family business of Andrés Felipe Ramírez, a former mayor of Jamundí, in the Esmeralda neighborhood. His bodyguard from the National Protection Unit (UNP), Andrés Felipe López Gutiérrez, put himself in the way and was hit by 3 bullets. He died at the Hospital Piloto. Ramírez wasn't hurt. He said: "I'm alive by a miracle." Senator Duvalier Sánchez, who calls Ramírez his running mate for the House, wrote that hitmen had tried to kill him. No group has been named and no one has been arrested.
What it meansRamírez is alive because his bodyguard stepped in front of the gunmen. The bodyguard worked for the UNP, whose protection details the president ordered reviewed and cut the day before. Sánchez calls the attack political violence, but no one has said who sent the gunmen or why.
2An explosive on the Popayán bypass, 2 civilians hurt
On the afternoon of Friday, October 16, an explosive charge went off beside the southern bypass of Popayán (Variante Sur), near the bridge over the Cauca River and the Carabineros police school. Early reports say it was hidden by the road and set for passing police patrols. 2 civilians, Leydi Juliana Calvo and Daniel Alejandro Hernán Bastidas, were cut by shrapnel. The police say both are out of danger. Popayán's security secretary, Reynel Polanía Vargas, called it a terrorist attack, and the city and the police offered a reward of up to 50 million pesos. No group has been named.
What it means for usA bomb set for police patrols hit 2 people passing by instead. Anyone driving through Popayán on the bypass shares that risk.
3A community leader killed in Soacha
On the evening of Friday, October 16, Lucero Ramírez Molina was killed in Soacha. She was a former president of the Villa Sandra neighborhood council (Junta de Acción Comunal). How she was killed hasn't been released, and no one has been arrested. Soacha's city hall offered a reward of up to 50 million pesos.
What it meansSoacha borders Bogotá. The authorities haven't given a line of investigation, so it isn't known yet whether she was killed for her community work.
4The anti-terrorism law clears its first step
On Thursday, October 15, in a closed session, the National Criminal Policy Council (Consejo Nacional de Política Criminal) backed the government's anti-terrorism bill, with 11 in favor and 3 opinions against. The bill creates a national registry of terrorist organizations and people. Being on it would allow their money to be frozen at once, bar them from state contracts and block their transactions. It raises sentences by up to a third for armed drones, extortion, cybercrime, kidnapping and riots when they're linked to criminal groups. It adds high-security prison wings for leaders and sentence cuts of up to 60% for people whose information helps take a listed group apart. The Supreme Court's criminal chamber, the Ombudsman's Office (Defensoría del Pueblo) and the Pacto Histórico raised objections. Infobae reports the government plans to file it in Congress next week. Minister Lara said: "It isn't an arbitrary statute: politicians who think differently won't be persecuted."
What it meansBeing on the list would mean an immediate freeze of a person's money. The reports don't say who decides who goes on it, and the Supreme Court's criminal chamber questioned the list. Congress still has to pass it.
On social media
As of about 7:30 AM, he hadn't posted about the Jamundí attack, the Popayán explosive, the Soacha killing or the anti-terrorism bill. His only security post since the last update was at 1:26 PM on October 16, from San Andrés, where he led a security council: "Today I begin this journey leading the Security Council to strengthen the well-being of the islanders." It had 135,200 views, 8,000 likes and 181 replies. Supporters lead the replies. The top reply (281 likes): "Wasn't this guy in Barranquilla just a few hours ago, nabbing 72 bandits since 2 a.m.? What time does this guy even sleep???" Another (90 likes): "The joy of Colombians every time the tiger tells the criminals he tames: Welcome to the Homeland Miracle." A critic said the crowd was small: "Why don't they show the whole camera shot? ... I have a cousin there and he told me it was practically empty." (1 like) The new theme: the island's entry tax. One reply asked him to drop it for Colombians: "Let only the foreigner pay it." This comes from the top replies on X, not a poll.
I support most of this. But it doesn't go far enough. These groups use any space they're given to reset and grow. They need to be crushed, not contained.