A former member of the council in the municipality of Balboa, identified as Jamer Albeiro Idrobo Navia, 39 years old, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the rural area of ​​El Patía, south of the department of Cauca.

Jamer Albeiro Idrobo Navia, 39, was a member of the development committee of the National Coordinator of Coca, Poppy and Marijuana producers, Coccam, in the village of Joaquina in the municipality of Balboa, where he was originally from. In addition he had been a council member in the municipality during the period 2010-2014.

The authorities stated that the incident took place in the village of Guasimal, on the road that leads to the village of San Pedro in the area of La Fonda, where the man’s lifeless body was found.

Apparently, two individuals intercepted Idrobo Navia as he was traveling between El Bordo and Balboa, a route he traveled every day. They forced him to get off his motor bike and then shot him. He was shot twice, in the head and the upper body as reported by the Technical Investigation Corps (CTI) of the Prosecutor’s Office.

According to the coordinator of the Human Rights Network of South West Colombia, Delvin Hurtado, the events happened 20 minutes from the urban area of ​​El Bordo. Hurtado also stated that, in conversations with the family, Jamer never mentioned having received any threats.

Jhonatan Centeno, human rights defender from the area, told Caracol news that the murder was related to the state’s abandonment of the territories. «The Government has to provide effective protection for the communities,» said Centeno.