In 2016, 72 human rights defenders and 18 leaders of the social and political movement Marcha Patriotica were assassinated, in addition to the large number of leaders and human rights defenders who were threatened.
The existence of paramilitary structures in the country, is a problem that has never ceased to exist and lurks as a shadow over all social leaders and human rights defenders.
Barrancabermeja, has always been a focus of paramilitary structures that make their way through its neighborhoods, turning the life of the inhabitants into hell. Human rights defenders have represented an obstacle to these structures’ political and economic interests.