Colombia: Diocese of Cúcuta asks authorities to stop wave of murders

Given the murder of the rector of an educational center last week, the victim of a hitman, the Diocese of Cúcuta (Colombia) has called on the authorities to work to stop the wave of violence that has affected this border city with Venezuela for months.

On the night of Friday, May 24, Jorge Enrique Galvis, rector of the Comfanorte school, in the municipality of Los Patios, was murdered when he was in a restaurant. According to witnesses, a man entered and shot his victim several times, and then quickly fled.

A week before, three people were also killed in the north of the city at the hands of two individuals who were on a motorcycle. In this case, the authorities did not rule out that it was a settling of scores between criminal gangs.

In a statement Published yesterday, May 26, the Diocese of Cúcuta expresses its condolences and solidarity to the family of the rector of the educational center and points out that “the situation of violence that has been plaguing the city for several months is regrettable.”

The local Church indicates that this, in addition to generating “an atmosphere of hopelessness and fear,” “constantly disrespects the sacred gift that God has given us: life.”

For this reason, it calls on the authorities “to continue working to offer tranquility and security to the citizens of Cúcuta, so that, in the face of this wave of violence, they do not lose confidence in the institutions of the State, which in their essence is contributing in a way forceful to the progress of society, from justice and peace.”

“As a diocesan Church we continue to offer our fervent prayers to Almighty God to bless this border area with peace, so that by living forgiven, reconciled and in peace, we advance in the comprehensive development so desired for this area of ​​the country,” he concludes. the statement from the Diocese of Cúcuta.