On 2 September, Paola Rodríguez Muchavisoy, a teacher and member of the Kamentsa indigenous group, was murdered along with her husband Alonso Taicus, an indigenous Awa, in the town of Villagarzón in Putumayo, southern Colombia. The couple’s daughter was also injured in the attack which occurred at the family home. So far, few details have been released around the double murder.
Paula worked as a teacher at the Alto Sardina school which was part of the Atún Ñami rural education centre. She is at least the twelfth social leader murdered in Putumayo in 2018. A number of teachers have been targeted, leading the FECODE teacher trade union to demand improved security for teachers in high risk zones
According to Colombia’s Ombudsman, 343 social leaders were murdered between 1 January 2016 and 22 August 2018.