A new report issued by the The Ombudsman’s Office warns that in Barranquilla and its metropolitan areahave increased the acts of violence in the last two years.
According to the report, Barranquilla, Soledad, Malambo, Galapa and Puerto Parra are the municipalities that register the most criminal acts such as murders, gender violence, extortion and abuse.
“We have found that the human rights situation in the metropolitan area of the capital of Atlántico has been deteriorating, which is reflected in the increase in the indicators of violence,” said the Ombudsman, Carlos Camargo.
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Consequently, the entity reflected that, in the case of homicides, these increased by 25%, while extortions increased by 128%with shopkeepers and public transport drivers being the main victims of this scourge.
The Ombudsman’s Office pointed out that these results are the product of the early warnings issued since 2020, by means of which warned about the murders in the capital of the Atlantic and the metropolitan area.
The violent events in the city of #Barranquilla and in its metropolitan area they do not give up.
Homicides have increased by 25% and extortions by 128%, directly affecting merchants and drivers.
— Ombudsman (@DefensoriaCol) August 4, 2022
“They generate terror with crimes such as homicides, forced displacement individual and massive, forced disappearances, gender violence against women, girls and population with diverse sexual orientation and gender identity, extortion, mobility restrictions, and the illicit use of children and adolescents”Camargo added.
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In addition, the Ombudsman’s Office was able to determine that in these municipalities criminal gangs such as the Clan del Golfo, Los Costeños, Los Rastrojos, the central block Renacer, Los Papalopez, Los Vega and organized common crime groups.
“We are especially concerned about the situation in Barranquilla, Malambo and Soledad, Therefore, although the alert contains a series of recommendations to prevent and mitigate the risk, in the follow-up carried out, it was possible to establish the precarious and insufficient institutional action”, emphasized the Ombudsman.
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Given this, Camargo made a request so that the local authorities of these municipalities, as well as the departmental authorities, adopt actions to protect the life and integrity of the communities at risk.
