Colombians will go to the polls on Sunday 29 May in an historic chance for a broad left/centre-left coalition to win power in the country.
After emerging as the largest bloc in the congressional elections in March, the coalition, called ‘the Historic Pact’ and led by presidential candidate Gustavo Petro, has held a consistent lead in opinion polls in the run-up to the election.
Colombia has long been the most dangerous country in the world to be a trade unionist.
At the end of last year, UNISON joined with Justice for Colombia in publishing for the first time in English, the names of all the 962 social and environmental leaders killed since the signing of the peace agreement between the Colombian government and the former FARC guerrillas.
The International TUC reported that 22 trade unionists were murdered for their union activists between March 2020 and April 2021. Environmental activists, Afro-Colombian and indigenous leaders are also targets of violence and harassment.
One of those leaders is vice-presidential candidate Francia Marquez (above), Mr Petro’s running mate, an Afro-Colombian feminist and environmental activist who, many claim, is the story of the elections.
In receiving the third largest amount of votes in the presidential primaries in March, she has given Colombia’s Black and Afro-Colombian community a strong voice in the presidential election for the first time.
However, as tensions rise ahead of the elections over 60 social leaders have been murdered in the first four months of 2022 alone.
Ahead of the elections, UNISON is working again with Justice for Colombia to profile four women social leaders who have been subject to threats and violence for their activism.
Darnelly Rodriguez is a human rights defender in southwest Colombia. She documented police violence during trade union led protests in 2021 and set up a medical centre to treat the wounded.
She has received several threats against her life, forcing her to leave her home. Despite facing aggression, she continues to expose state brutality towards communities and protesters. Ms Rodriguez will be one of the speakers at the international rally at UNISON’s national delegate conference this year.
Maria Eugenia Londono is a teacher and secretary for equality of Colombia’s biggest union, FECODE. She has developed trade union education to increase women’s involvement in unions.
As president of her regional teacher’s union she has campaigned to expose corruption within the education budgets. As a consequence, she has received multiple death threats and survived an assassination attempt in 2018.
Martha Alejandra Wilches is an engineer for the public telephone company in Colombia’s capital, Bogota. She’s an activist in the Sintratelefones union and was a leader of the campaign to stop the company’s privatisation.
She also works to improve women’s participation in her union and train them to take up leadership positions.
Olga Quintero is a leader of the peasant farmers’ association ASCAMAT which has mobilised thousands of small-scale farmers around land rights, better working conditions, human rights and implementation of the 2016 peace agreement.
Several ASCAMAT members have been killed in recent years and Olga has received multiple death threats.
What can you do?
Highlight the work of these brave women on social media in the run up to Sunday’s election.
You can also use the resources which Justice For Colombia have produced for UNISON or use the template social media post below.
Template social media post
As Colombia votes in presidential elections, UNISON is highlighting the work of Colombian trade unionists and community activists to defend social justice, human rights and peace.
But they are under attack simply for standing up for a fairer society.
Affiliate your branch with @JFColombia to show your support!
#justiciaporcolombia
