Naylea Barros, a journalist, social activist and former congressional candidate for the Historic Pact in the city of Santa Marta, survived after several shots hit her car on Monday night. The attack comes amidst fears that stigmatisation of the Historic Pact by president Abelardo de la Espriella and other senior figures in his government will lead to a wave of political violence.
On the night of 24 August, unknown assailants shot through the windows of Ms Barros’ car as she drove home accompanied by a relative. Both survived physically unscathed. Ms Barros had been an electoral candidate for the Historic Pact and is a well-known feminist, social leader and political activist in Santa Marta in northern Colombia.
According to Ms Barros, the attack followed over 3 months of ‘threats, harassment and intimidation.’ Alongside senior figures of the Historic Pact she has demanded a full investigation of the attack and the events leading up to it.
The attack comes after months of violent language from senior figures. President Abelardo de la Espriella stated in an interview that left-wingers caused him ‘physical repulsion’, while other senior figures had called for the left to have its ‘guts torn out’. Others had called for ‘an iron hand’ against social protest. Last week, a De la Espriella-supporting local politician was filmed holding a pistol and threatening ‘bullets’ for members of the Historic Pact. The hostility has been a notable departure from recent practice. De la Espriella’s teams failed to turn up to transitional meetings with the former Historic Pact government and he has nominated far-right hardliners across his government. In this context it is unsurprising that a violent attack has taken place. Pointing out that the stigmatisation of the Pact was reaping consequences, former president Gustavo Petro commented, ‘who was it who said the guts needed tearing out of the left?’
Historic Pact congressman Gabriel Becerra said that, given the political context, the attack could not be considered an isolated act and called Ms Barros a ‘brave young woman’, while also condemning the attack. ‘We consider the government of Abelardo de la Espriella to be responsible if any leader, member or parliamentary representative of the Historic Pact becomes a victim of violence,’ he stated. Norma Velez, a local human rights defender, further condemned the attack and wrote that ‘Nayla is not alone, we are all with her. Defending her life and her right to take part in politics is to defend the voice of all those women who refuse to be silenced.’
President De la Espriella tweeted that he had asked the local police to investigate the attack. However, he has yet to express any regret or consideration of the ways in which his own rhetoric may have contributed to this event.