An evangelical pastor and two family members were tragically killed in an armed attack after a church service in Aguachica, Colombia.
Pastor Marlon Lora of the Prince of Peace Villaparaguay Church, his wife Yorley Rincón, and their 24-year-old daughter Angela Lora Rincón died instantly when a gunman on a motorbike opened fire outside a restaurant, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW).
Lora’s son Santiago sustained severe injuries in the attack, which occurred just meters from a national police station in Aguachica, Cesar Department, prompting a swift response from authorities.
Pastor Lora oversaw 35 churches across urban and rural regions, including Aguachica, Pelaya, San Alberto, and San Martin, as part of the Missionaries Biblical Churches (IBM) denomination.
Colombia's armed conflicts have made it dangerous for church leaders like Pastor Marlon Lora, whose work fighting corruption or crime often makes them targets. His supervisor, pastor Giovanni Bermúdez, described him as courageous and committed despite the risks.
The Office of the Ombudsman in Colombia reports a 31 per cent rise in religious freedom violations against leaders between January and September 2024, with death threats doubling from four cases in 2023 to eight in 2024.
CSW’s Director of Advocacy, Anna Lee Stangl, criticised the Colombian government for removing religious leaders from the National Protection System, leaving them vulnerable in conflict areas like Aguachica.
“We urge the government to recognise victims from the religious sector within the framework of the individual peace accords,” she said.
CSW is calling on Colombian authorities to take stronger measures to safeguard religious leaders.
