Excmo. Sr. Presidente Gustavo Petro Urrego President of the Republic of Colombia contacto@presidencia.gov.co | Sra. Luz Adriana Camargo Attorney General of Colombia |
September 12, 2025
Dear President Petro and Attorney General Camargo:
We are deeply distressed to learn there was an attack against human rights defender and LGBTIQ+ activist Nestor Moreno Ríos, a leader of the Córdoba Controversial Social Foundation-Cordoberxia en Montería (Córdoba Department) on August 5. An armed man entered a gym at 6am, found the social leader, and tried to shoot him. Thankfully, the gun jammed after repeated tries, which allowed Moreno just enough time to find refuge and call for help. The rapid action of the police avoided a tragedy.
The Córdoba Controversial Social Foundation-Cordoberxia coordinates the Human Rights Platform of the Colombian Caribbean, which covers many departments (Atlántico, Bolívar, Cesar, Córdoba, La Guajira, Magdalena, Sucre and San Andrés, Providencia, and Santa Catalina) where there have been credible threats against such work. Nestor Moreno also directs the Sociopolitical Think Tank of the Department of Córdoba and the Corporación Córdoba Diversa, a Montería nonprofit that works on civil rights and inclusion of the sexual diversity community. He also coordinates the Departmental Platform for Human Rights and Peace of Córdoba and is a key figure in the Southern Córdoba Human Rights Network and the Observatory of Human Rights of Southern Córdoba (OBDEHSUC). Beyond Córdoba, Nestor Moreno is active with national peace organizations.
We join with the human rights organizations CORDOBERXIA and Caribe Afirmativo in calling upon the attorney general, the mayor of Montería, the government of Córdoba, and the minister of the interior to address this crime with an effective investigation and protections for Nestor Moreno Rios. We urge that authorities in Colombia:
(1) carry out a thorough and impartial investigation of the attempted assassination of Nestor Moreno Ríos (registered under criminal notice number: 230016099102202500380), which demands urgency, according to the framework of Directive 002 of 2017 of the Attorney General’s Office
(2) consult with Nestor Moreno Ríos to devise protection measures, in strict accordance with his wishes
(3) ensure that all social leaders are able to conduct their legitimate work to defend human rights and remain in their territory without fear of harm or reprisal
Brian J. Stefan Szittai Christine L. Stonebraker-Martínez
Co-Coordinators
copies: La Fundación Cordoberxia ~ via email
Caribe Afirmativo ~ via email
Armando Benedetti, Minister of Interior of Colombia ~ via email
Hugo Kerguelén García, Mayor of Montería, Córdoba Dept ~ via email
Daniel García-Peña Jaramillo, Ambassador of Colombia to the US ~ via email
José Luis Caballero Ochoa, Rapporteur for Colombia , Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) ~ via email
Arif Bulkan, Rapporteur on the Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Trans, Bisexual, and Intersex Persons (IACHR) ~ via email
UN: Scott Campbell, Representative in Colombia of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights ~ via email
US Embassy: John McNamara (Chargé d’Affaires); Adam Levy (human rights) ~ via email
US State Department: Desk Officer for Colombia ~ via email
US Senators from Ohio: Husted and Moreno ~ via email
US Representatives from Ohio: Beatty, Brown, Jordan, Joyce, Kaptur, Latta, Miller, Rulli, Sykes ~ via email
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