Former mayor shot dead in central Colombia during election campaign
BOGOTA, Colombia — A former mayor, who was a close ally of presidential candidate Abelardo de La Espriella, was tragically gunned down in Colombia’s heartland. Local authorities confirmed that one of his aides was also fatally shot.
The murders of Rogers Devia and his colleague Eder Cardona mark the latest episode of political violence in a region plagued by conflict involving groups classified as terrorists by the U.S. government, along with a splinter faction of the once powerful guerrilla group FARC.
Devia was fatally attacked by gunmen in the rural area of Cubarral, a town where he served as mayor from 2020 to 2023 and located 170 kilometers south of Bogota, according to the Public Defender’s Office in the Meta department.
De La Espriella is associated with the National Salvation Movement.
The Public Defender’s Office expressed concerns that these killings could impact the upcoming presidential elections in Colombia, scheduled for May 31, by hindering political rights and democratic participation.
Interior Minister Armando Benedetti stated on social media that the motive behind Devia’s assassination remains unclear. He also revealed that authorities had recently foiled an attempted attack on a staff member of another presidential candidate, Paloma Valencia, in the same city.
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