Christians remain hopeful but uncertain that the new Colombian administration will restore protections for religious leaders following the recent national election which allegedly featured coercion by armed groups.
Abelardo de la Espriella narrowly defeated leftist Iván Cepeda in the second round of a close presidential ballot in an election which appears to have been marred by allegations of coercion by armed groups.
As we reported last month, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) hoped that the new leader would restore the protections previously given to religious leaders. These protections had been weakened after attacks on them increased during the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
However, uncertainty remains; CSW Director of Advocacy and Americas Team Leader Anna Lee Stangl told en that “neither [candidate] spoke specifically about the situation of religious leaders within the context of the conflict,” making it impossible to know whether de la Espriella will restore protections.
Stangl expressed caution about the future, pointing to deep national divisions, which the new administration will need to “take steps to bridge”. She said: “Acknowledging the unique role of religious leaders in areas with a significant presence of illegal armed and criminal groups, as peacebuilders, human rights defenders and social leaders, whose faith and teachings offer an alternative to the repeating cycles of violence, and restoring their access to these protection mechanisms, would be one such step they could take.”
CSW also reported that some religious leaders experienced pressure from armed groups during the election. Stangl revealed that most attempts centred on trying to stop de la Espriella from winning so did not have a “material outcome” on proceedings, but they could have repercussions for future votes.
She said: “Fear in many regions was very real, and many people voted for the left-wing candidate, particularly in areas where illegal armed groups exercise de facto control, including both left-wing and right-wing groups. Some right-wing armed groups were also reportedly negotiating with the current left-wing Government, creating a complex local political dynamic.
“It is also important to emphasise that any kind of voter coercion sows distrust in the electoral process itself, so while it may not have changed the outcome, it weakens public trust in democracy, which is something illegal armed and criminal groups tend to take advantage of.”
