Senator-elect, Claudia Lopez, received warning on Saturday by a national security force that she is at high risk of an assassination attempt, local media reported.
Senator-elect Claudia Lopez of the Green Alliance (Alianza Verde -AV) was warned on Saturday by the National Protection Unit that she was at “extreme risk” of an assassination attempt and should take measures to protect herself.
Both Lopez and the National Protection Unit have confirmed to media that the threat has come from former governor of La Guajira in northern Colombia, Juan Francisco “Kiko” Gomez and Marcos de Jesus Figueroa, alias “Holders.”
“Unfortunately it is a theme that returns time and time again and is always repeated. It’s nothing new. Apparently the same people from La Guajira, Mr. “Kiko” Gomez and Mr “Holders” Figuero (who is head of a BaCrim and yet remains free and unpunished) are unyielding in their efforts to kill,” stated Lopez according to El Tiempo newspaper.
Before election to the Senate, Lopez worked with journalists and human rights defenders to publish research which proved links between Kiko Gomez and illegal sectors. Evidence which was later used to remove him from office and banned for 17 years.
However Lopez publicly refused to be scared by the threats, tweeting that “I will not leave the country or stop doing what I chose. Life goes on.”
La @UNPColombia me informó hoy que riesgo de que me asesinen es extremo. No me iré del país ni dejaré de hacer lo que escogí. La vida sigue.
— Claudia López (@CLOPEZanalista) abril 26, 2014
Lopez , elected Senator on March 9, also tweeted that although the reported danger to her life was being dealt with by the National Protection Unit, there was still a risk due to government and police “complicity” and “inefficiency.”
La @UNPColombia ha hecho todo por protegerme, pero el riesgo se extrema por complicidad gubernamental y de Policia e ineficacia @FiscaliaCol
— Claudia López (@CLOPEZanalista) abril 26, 2014
Senator Lopez has not been one to shy away from confrontation and during her time working as an investigative journalist, has publicly uncovered corruption scandals and links between politicians and paramilitary cells in Colombia, known as “para-politics.”
MORE: Colombia resembles ‘totalitarian republic:’ Senator-elect
In October of 2013, Lopez left Colombia for a few months due to other alleged death threats from the criminal gang led by Figueroa.
MORE: Investigative journalist reveals all on death threats and fleeing Colombia
Sources
- Senadora Claudia López denuncia riesgo de asesinato (El Tiempo)
- Me informaron de un “riesgo extremo de que me asesinen”: Claudia López (Caracol Radio)
