Credit to @indepaz on Twitter
Credit to @indepaz on Twitter
The 28th of September saw the 222rd “leader and human rights defender” to be assassinated in the Republic of Colombia this year. The 60-year-old was waylaid by a group of hired gunmen (in Dosquebradas) who shot him multiple times.
Quintero took an active role in organizing and working within his local community. He was the president of the Community Action Board of the Sabanitas neighborhood of the Dosquebradas municipality of the Risaralda department.
Risaralda Department Highlighted in Red
The Community Action Boards (Juntas de Acción Comunal or JACs) are a Colombian institution that has its origins during the ten-year civil war known as La Violencia (1948-1958). Originally formed with the idea of allowing local communities a voice in local government affairs, they have since grown from that purpose.
Telesur reports that there is a question of whether or not Quintero’s past public opposition to the destruction of Colombia’s environmental protection zones played a hand in his assassination. Colombia, like in all countries with expansive dense forests, there are private (or public) individuals who seek personal gain at the expense of our planet’s habitability.
An advisor to the National Communal Federation of Colombia, Jaime Gutiérrez, described Quintero as “a hard-working, respectful man, a companion of the community’s struggles, who was always at the service of the community.”
Sources:
“Colombians Denounce Assassination of Social Leader in Risaralda.” Telesur. 30 September 2020. Link.
“Colombia. Jorge Quintero, líder social de Risaralda fue asesinado.” kaosenlared. 30 September 2020. Link.
“Colombian Community Action Boards (Juntas de Acción Comunal, JACs).” participedia.net. Accessed 30 September 2020. Link.