Mr. Rafael Vargas Felizola was the President of the Association of the Deaf of the Atlantic (Asociación de Sordomudos del Atlántico) and a lawyer to the legal departement of the city council were he dealth with cases of land disputes. He was asssassinated on March 4, 1999.

Mr. Rafael Vargas Felizola was a lawyer to the legal department of the city council. In that respect, he dealt with cases regarding land rights disputes.

Rafael is survived by his four children. At the time of his assassination, his wife was pregnant with their fourth child.

Mr. Rafael Vargas Felizola was assassinated on March 4, 1999 as he was waiting at the garage, for his car to be repaired, with his chauffeur (Mr. Rafael Vargas Felizola was handicapped from an early age and could not drive by himself). Over the months preceding his assassination, Mr. Rafael Vargas Felizola had received death threats and gunmen fired his house. Despite the threats and incidents, no measures had been taken by officials to ensure his and his family’s security.

Status of investigation

In 2001, four suspects had been arrested by the police and further released. No development has occurred and no conviction has been pronounced since.