The police in Colombia has not yet established the motive for the murder of two pastors and their children on 29 December in the town of Aguachica, although they are considering several scenarios.

One is the extortion because, according to a relative, they had been receiving threats. The other is that a woman, the partner of an alleged drug dealer, might have been the real target of the massacre.But theseare theories that are still under investigation.

After the incident, the Evangelical Confederation of Colombia (CEDECOL) stated the possible relation of the attack with the evangelical faith of the deceased, stressing that “this tragic episode adds to the many cases of persecution and threats faced by religious leaders in many parts of Colombia, especially in regions such as Cauca, Pasto, Sur de Bolivar, and others”.

Lack of protection measures

“The lack of protection measures by the National Protection Unit reveals a gap in the security of those who dedicate their lives to the spiritual and social service of their communities”, reads the document that the entity addressed to the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro.

This is why CEDECOL calls on the national government and several public institutions in the country, as well as the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR), to take immediate action and review the protection measures for religious leaders, who are advocates of peace and ethical values.

Desde #CEDECOL alzamos nuestra voz por la desprotección de líderes religiosos. El asesinato de la familia Lora en Aguachica refleja la grave vulneración de sus derechos. Exigimos al Estado actuar y garantizar su seguridad.@infopresidencia @MinInterior @mindefensa @UNPColombia pic.twitter.com/MFDrzdcIVE

— CEDECOL (@CEDECOL) January 4, 2025

Family murdered

On 29 December, the Lora Rincón family, a married couple - both evangelical pastors - and their two children, were having lunch in a restaurant in the centre of Aguachica after a church service, when they were shot dead.

The couple and their daughter died instantly, while the other son was taken to a hospital in critical condition where he later died.

The killers arrived and left on a motorbike, which according to the police authorities, was later found, getting fingerprints that have allowed them to have their identities.

Marlon Lora and Yurlay Rincón presided over the Prince of Peace evangelical church, and oversaw other 35 churches in the area. The daughter, Ángela Natalia, was a journalist, and their son, Santiago, a cameraman, who had recently worked on the political campaign of the current mayor, Greisy Roqueme.