The heads of six universities in the Colombian department of Antioquia received death threats Monday for allowing the continuation of classes during the ongoing student strike against education reform, according to local media.
The statement received by the university leaders, which was also sent to Education Minister Maria Fernando Campo, was allegedly sent by left-wing guerrilla group FARC.
The statement was allegedly signed by an urban commander of the FARC, Oscar Dario Sanchez Cordoba, and reportedly stated that the FARC was “going to punish the traitors who sabotage the various student assemblies.”
Colombia’s Defense Minister was contacted in order to adopt the relevant security measures to protect the staff at the University of Antioquia, the National University in Medellin, the College of Antioquia, Politecnico Jaime Isaza Cadavid, Technological Institute Pascual Bravo, and the Metropolitan Technological Institute.
The leaders of each of the above universities were identified as a “military target” of the FARC.
The threats refer to the ongoing student strike against controversial government proposals to reform education law 30. Teachers and students alike have been protesting the proposed changes since early September.