José Osvaldo Taquez, 40, was the president of the Community Action Board in Remolino, Puerto Asís municipality, Putumayo. Since 2017, he was leading voluntary substitution of illegal crops programmes in Orito. He was murdered on 20 July 2018. He was on his way home after a substitution of illegal crops socialization meeting when he was intercepted by armed men who shot him several times.

The vice-president of the Association of Community Action Boards, Hernán Motta, confirmed that the leader had reported death threats and that he had also made complaints about the presence of armed groups in the area. Taquez dedicated a large part of his leadership to the implementation of the Voluntary Substitution of Illegal Crops Integral Plan in Remolino.

According to the Ombudsman’s Office, 68 leaders who were involved in this type of leadership have been murdered since the signing of the peace agreement.

Source: La Paz en el Terreno