Medellin, Colombia – A new report from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights warns that non-state armed groups are using violence to control Colombia’s civilian population and threaten the integrity of presidential elections scheduled for May 31.
The report warned that an escalation of violence following the August 2025 killing of presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay could hinder the full implementation of Colombia’s peace process and “could undermine the electoral process.”
After 18 killings and 126 attacks or threats against political leaders in a year, the United Nations warned that the country “faces the possibility of a return to the dire human rights situation” it had before the 2016 peace deal with FARC rebels.
The report also highlighted other issues, including the recruitment of children into armed groups, gender-based violence and the disproportionate impact of violence on indigenous and African-American communities.
The United Nations has confirmed that non-state armed groups have recruited 150 children, although it claims the number is likely to be much higher due to concerns over reports of cases. The report also reported that 30 child recruits were killed.
Scott Campbell, head of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia, told The Associated Press the report warned “there is a risk of further setbacks.”
“In most cases ongoing negotiations between the government and armed groups have not reduced human rights violations.”
The UN highlighted the hardest-hit departments: Antioquia, Atlántico, Norte de Santander and Valle del Cauca. The rise in mass forced displacement, up 85% since 2024, is partly due to an escalation in violence in Catatumbo, where nearly 90,000 people have been forced to flee their homes since January last year.
The UN also highlighted progress in some areas, including adjudication through the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP). Established in 2017, the mechanism investigates those involved in armed conflict before the 2016 peace agreement, including guerrillas, paramilitaries and state security forces.
Among the UN’s recommendations was an assurance that “communities, national authorities and human rights defenders can participate in and influence consensus” surrounding human rights, security and peace policies.
The report concluded that the new government offers a “decisive opportunity” to consolidate Colombia’s peace agreement, noting that Colombia must respond more forcefully to prevent violence and limit territorial control of armed groups across the country.
Image Source: Colombian Police via Flickr
