Overview

• Human rights defender Yendri Velásquez and political consultant Luis Peche were ambushed by two unidentified attackers in a car in north Bogotá, with roughly 15 shots fired, and both underwent surgery and are stable.
• Colombian authorities opened an investigation but have not identified suspects, and police said they were unaware of prior threats against the men in Colombia.
• President Gustavo Petro said security forces will expand protection for human rights activists and stated that Venezuelan asylum seekers are welcome regardless of their political views.
• Amnesty International condemned the shooting and pressed Colombia to ensure prompt, effective access to international protection, while the ombudsman urged the attorney general to investigate and strengthen safeguards for Venezuelan migrants.
• Velásquez, founder of the Venezuelan Observatory of LGBTIQ+ Violence, had sought asylum after detention and a passport cancellation in 2024, and opposition leader María Corina Machado alleged the Maduro government targeted the pair, a claim authorities have not verified.