Edgar Hernández

At 4.30PM in the afternoon of 23 November 2020, human rights defender Edgar Hernández was travelling by motorbike with a friend, in the area of San Pedro Arizona, when gunmen opened fire killing him instantly. The friend, named as Teodisfelo Fajardo, also died in the attack.

Edgar was president of the Junta de Acción Comunal, JAC, (Community Action Board) in the community of La Independencia in Puerto Caicedo, Putamayo.  In addition he was a member of the Asociación de Trabajadores Campesinos de Alto Mekaya -ATCAM– (Association of Farm Workers of Alto Mekaya) as well as a member of the Federación Nacional Sindical Unitaria Agropecuaria -Fensuagro– (Federation of National Unions of Small Farmers). He was also one of the leading organisers of the Marcha Patriótica.

Teodisfelo was also a community leader, active in the programme for the substitution of illicit crops.

According to the Red de Defensores de Derechos Humanos del Putamayo (Network of Human Rights Defenders of Putamayo) this was just the latest in a series of killings of community leaders and human rights defenders in the region.


If you would like to provide a personal recollection, please email us at: HRDMemorial@frontlinedefenders.org

Region:Americas

Country:Colombia

Department/Province/State:Putumayo

Sex1:Male

Date of Killing:23/11/2020

Previous Threats:Yes

Type of Work:Community leader

Organisation: Junta de Acción Comunal de la vereda La Independencia del municipio de Puerto Caicedo, Putumayo, además era un reconocido líder social de la zona que hacía parte de la Asociación de Trabajadores Campesinos del Alto Mekaya (ATCAM), miembro de Fensuagro

Sector or Type of Rights the HRD Worked On:ESC Rights

Sector Detail:Labour/Trade Union, Peasant Communities

More information:Front LIne Defenders

1This database records an individual's chosen gender identity. If they do not self-identify as male or female they can use the option of recording other/neither or use the term NBGI (non binary gender identity).