Source: www.vomusa.org
Date: December 10, 2024
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Persecution Increasing in Colombia’s “Red Zones”
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| Many Christians in Colombia are taking great risks to share the gospel in some of the most dangerous places to follow Christ. Working in these hostile areas often results in persecution from armed guerrillas and paramilitary forces, and a historic shift in Colombia’s political landscape has emboldened the country’s armed guerrilla groups, particularly in their violent opposition to Christians. In 2022, Gustavo Petro became the country’s first left-wing president, a notable change for Colombia, where leftist politicians have historically been ideologically aligned with the guerrillas. In addition to the president’s background as a former member of M-19, a Marxist group that was active from the early 1970s until 1990, Petro has enacted policies marking him as more friend than foe to the country’s current militant groups. “Right now, the law doesn’t have as much power as [the guerrillas] have,” a front-line worker said. “Why? Because from the moment the new president came to power, we have less protection. We are abandoned.”
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| Edgar and Isabella, who lead a church in Buenaventura, one of Colombia’s most dangerous cities, have experienced increased violence since the new president took office. In early 2024, Isabella was held at gunpoint by a guerrilla commander. He tried to shoot her multiple times, but his gun malfunctioned. The guerrilla was eventually arrested and detained, but in May 2024, a government-appointed official released the commander and ordered the charges against him dropped. Isabella is now afraid to leave her house because the man has returned to her neighborhood. To learn more about intensifying persecution in Colombia and how you can pray for Christians there, please read this special report. Then, share it with friends who will join in prayer for our Christian brothers and sisters in Colombia facing this increasing opposition.
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