Presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella issued a video statement Saturday condemning the murders of two members of his campaign team [1].

The killings highlight the persistent security risks facing political organizers in rural Colombia, where targeted violence often disrupts democratic processes during election cycles.

The victims, Rogers Mauricio Devia Escobar and Fabián Cardona, were killed Friday night in Cubarral, located in the department of Meta [2]. Devia, who served as a former mayor and campaign coordinator, was among the two [1, 3].

In a video statement lasting more than four minutes, de la Espriella expressed his grief and described the killings as a political crime [4, 5]. He said that the attackers were not random actors, saying, "Este crimen no es obra de desconocidos" [6].

De la Espriella emphasized the ideological motivation behind the attack, noting that for Devia, "Su único delito fue creer en la patria" [1]. The candidate pledged to lead a formal tribute to the victims, saying, "Encabezaré homenaje a ese par de valientes" [2].

The violence occurred in a region where political activity can be volatile. The loss of two campaign staff members [1] represents a significant blow to the candidate's local operations in the Meta department.

Authorities have not yet released a formal suspect list, though de la Espriella's public comments suggest the killings were premeditated and targeted specifically at his political movement.

“"Su único delito fue creer en la patria"”

The targeted assassination of a former mayor and campaign coordinator suggests a deliberate attempt to dismantle the infrastructure of Abelardo de la Espriella's presidential bid in the Meta region. By framing the event as a political crime rather than common violence, the candidate is signaling that his campaign is facing systemic opposition, which may increase pressure on the Colombian government to provide enhanced security for candidates and their staff ahead of the elections.