Twenty-seven year old Nelson Ramos Barrera was a member of the Asociación Municipal de Trabajadores Campesinos de Piamonte Cauca, (Municipal Association of Peasant Workers of Piamonte Cauca) –ASIMTRACAMPIC. He was also well known for his work with young people in the area.
On 13 October, 2020, a group of armed men arrived in the village of Yapurá and forced all the inhabitants to gather in the sports centre. Members of the group tried to take Nelson away but they were challenged by the community. Instead the gunmen shot him in front of his wife and children and the other members of the community.
The armed group had blocked the internet connection in the area so that the community could not communicate with the authorities.
ASITRACAMPIC had previously been declared a military target by paramilitary groups active in the region. Despite the persistent levels of criminality by paramilitary groups there has been no real action by the authorities to protect the community.