Colombian Authorities Find Bodies of 8 Evangelical Leaders in Guaviare Mass Grave

Colombian authorities have discovered a mass grave in the Guaviare jungle containing the bodies of eight evangelical and social leaders who had been missing since April. The victims were abducted after being summoned by the Armando Ríos Front, a FARC dissident group led by alias Iván Mordisco, on suspicions of involvement with the rival guerrilla group ELN, although no evidence has linked them to the ELN. The leaders were members of the Evangelical councils Alianza de Colombia and Cuadrangular, and their killings have caused deep sorrow and fear in the local communities, where FARC dissidents exert strict control, including curfews and restrictions on church services. The discovery was aided by intelligence gathered from a captured guerrilla’s mobile phone and a humanitarian operation by the International Committee of the Red Cross. The Evangelical Confederation of Colombia (CEDECOL) has condemned the murders and called for justice and protection for spiritual leaders in vulnerable regions. This incident highlights ongoing violence and instability in areas controlled by armed groups that continue to resist the peace process following the 2016 FARC government agreement.