Alcibíades Moreno, the social leader of artisan emeralders in western Boyacá, murdered

The murder of Alcibíades Moreno Moreno, recognized for defending the rights of artisanal miners in the emerald area of Muzo in western Boyacá, reached a steep figure of 45 social leaders murdered in the country, according to the ongoing follow-up by the Institute of Studies for the Development and Peace (Indepaz).

According to the preliminary information they obtained from that NGO, Moreno was killed by armed men who arrived at his home in the municipality of Muzo. While on the regional radio station Boyacá Noticias 95.6 they indicated that the incident occurred on Thursday when the social leader watched the match of the Colombian national team against that of Bolivia.

“Apparently, the social leader would have received six bullet wounds in different parts of his body during the attack. The first person to warn the authorities about the crime was his wife,” they reported in that local media outlet.

They added, that the man had received a series of threats, so he had decided to withdraw for a while from his work in mining associations.

In Indepaz they indicated that the social leader was recognized among the population as he even held the position of president of the guaqueros associations and the land collection committee.

For this fact, the governor of Boyacá, Ramiro Barragán, said: “I strongly reject the murder of Alcibiades Moreno, a social leader and defender of the rights of guaqueros. My solidarity with his family.”

The official also requested the authorities to initiate appropriate investigations to find the perpetrators of the murder.

Through La W Radio, his brother Rafael Moreno called for justice to be served for this murder that mourned mine workers in that area of Boyacá.

“He had his wife, four children; we are asking the authorities to do justice and clarify these facts. We don't want violence, but peace for our municipality,” he said.

Meanwhile, on Caracol radio they consulted with the commander of the Boyacá Police, Colonel Giovanni Puentes, who indicated that the Attorney General's Office is also working on the investigation of this crime.

“He was killed with several shots with a firearm. Our investigative and intelligence units, in coordination with the Prosecutor's Office, are still carrying out fieldwork to collect evidence to determine the whereabouts of the murderer (s). We are continuing with the investigation, coordinated with the Prosecutor's Office, and we hope to give early results to clarify the fact,” he said on that station.

They murdered a social leader and a former combatant of the extinct FARC in Cauca

Prior to the murder of Alcibíades Moreno, in Cauca, southwestern part of the country, last weekend the murders of social leader Richard Betancourt and the signatory of the peace agreement Domingo Mancilla Cundumí were recorded.

According to the preliminary information they published in Indepaz, Betancourt was in the vicinity of his home in the municipality of Algeria, when he was attacked by armed men who shot him on several occasions.

The social leader was recognized among the community for his work in favor of the population of the Santa Clara village, in the rural area of that municipality, where he served as president of its Community Action Board. In addition, it was collaborating in aid processes for persons displaced by the armed conflict in that area of the country.

In Indepaz, they also reported that clashes are being reported in that area of the department between the dissident Carlos Patiño of the extinct FARC and the Eln that since last year drug trafficking routes have been disputed.

While in Guapi, already on the Pacific coast of Cauca, former combatant Domingo Mancilla Cundumí, who was one of the reincorporates of the Aldemar Galán territorial space in the municipality of Policarpa, in Nariño, was killed.

In the preliminary information that Indepaz managed to obtain, it is stated that Mancilla was mobilizing through the village of Temuey de Guapi (Cauca), when he was attacked with a firearm.

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