Former FARC members, father and son, murdered in Colombia's Cauca region

Violence has again struck the rural communities of Cajibío, Cauca, with the murder of two former FARC members, identified as father and son José Deifer Giraldo Herrera and Yerlion Andrey Giraldo Marín.

Both men had joined the peace process after belonging to the former FARC. They were also linked to the Popular Unity Process of Southwestern Colombia (Pupsoc) and had supported community initiatives in Cajibío. Their deaths are seen as a blow to community efforts in a region plagued by illegal armed groups and territorial disputes.

According to preliminary reports, the father and son were on a farm near the La Primavera village on Friday, August 28, when they were allegedly summoned or intercepted by an armed group. They were reportedly detained before being killed by gunfire. Their bodies were later found on the side of a rural road.

The exact circumstances of the killings are under investigation. Authorities are working to determine how the men were intercepted, who transported them to the murder site, and which armed group is responsible. A cartel found near one of the victims has drawn attention in the investigation.