Santo Manuel Baltazar was an indigenous rights defender and member of the Guardia Indígena (Indigenous Guard) in the community of Nueva Ilusión which forms part of the Mayor Zenú reservation in San José de Uré, Córdoba.
On 22 September, 2020, the bodies of Santo Manuel and another member of the community (Eduardo Enrique Olea Ramos) were found in the village of Batatalito. Both men had been shot.
Violence in the area is linked to a feud between members of criminal paramilitary groups the Clan del Golfo and Los Caparros.