Grave situation of community leaders and academics in Colombia

A statement by Friends of the Earth Latin America and the Caribbean expressing concern over the criminalization, prosecution, and harassment of community leaders and academics in Colombia who advocate for social and environmental justice.

• Friends of the Earth Latin America and the Caribbean reports an increase in the criminalization and prosecution of social activists in Colombia. Specifically, Felix Manuel Banguero, a member of the Regional Coordination Team for Black Communities development (PCN) and the Pilamo Community Council, was arrested on June 8, 2012, facing charges of rebellion and conspiracy.
• Academic freedom is under threat in Colombia, as evidenced by a criminal investigation opened by the Regional Office of Huila into Professor Miller Dussan of Surcolombiana University. The investigation, based on a March 7, 2012 communication from Colonel Juan Francisco Pelaez Ramirez, seeks to evaluate the "irregular nature" of Dussan's behavior during demonstrations against the Quimbo hydroelectric project.
• Environmentalist and professor Hildebrando Vélez Galeano, a former director of a partner organization in Colombia, experienced raids on his home and workplace on July 7, 2012. Additionally, since February 17, 2011, his and his daughter's homes were attacked twice, resulting in the theft of computers and papers related to academic research, social struggles, and the search for Sandra Viviana Cuellar.
• The document asserts that human rights protections are not being guaranteed in Colombia, despite the implementation of protective measures stipulated by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and Colombian government programs.

APA

admin (2012). Grave situation of community leaders and academics in Colombia. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/grave-situation-of-community-leaders-and-academics-in-colombia/

Chicago

admin. Grave situation of community leaders and academics in Colombia. Friends of the Earth International, 2012. https://www.foei.org/grave-situation-of-community-leaders-and-academics-in-colombia/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=admin |title=Grave situation of community leaders and academics in Colombia |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=12 July 2012 |url=https://www.foei.org/grave-situation-of-community-leaders-and-academics-in-colombia/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{admin2012grave, author = {admin}, title = {{Grave situation of community leaders and academics in Colombia}}, publisher = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2012}, month = jul, url = {https://www.foei.org/grave-situation-of-community-leaders-and-academics-in-colombia/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }