Evangelical pastor, family members killed after church service in Colombia
A beloved Evangelical pastor and two family members were killed in northern Colombia while outside a restaurant after a church service on Sunday.
A gunman on a motorcycle killed Pastor Marlon Lora of the Prince of Peace Villaparaguay Church, his wife, Yorley Rincon, and 24-year-old daughter, Angela Lora Rincón, in the municipality of Aguachica. Their 21-year-old son, Santiago Lora Rincón, was injured in the shooting.
Lora and his church were part of the Missionaries Biblical Churches (IBM) denomination, in which he traveled to and oversaw nearly three dozen urban and rural churches across different regions in the country, according to the United Kingdom-based watchdog organization Christian Solidarity Worldwide.
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The couple's supervisor, Pastor Giovanni Bermúdez, said Pastor Lora had earlier been concerned about potential threats made against another pastor.
"Marlon was like many of us pastors — we keep quiet about many things so that everything runs smoothly, even while we carry heavy burdens inside," Bermúdez was quoted as saying.
Lora and his family were also cherished by the Christian community in Aguachica, according to Pastor Divanit Alfonso Calle, president of the Association of Pastors of Aguachica. Ángela worked as a communications and journalism professional for Aguachica's public utilities company and Santiago serves as a systems engineering student.
The national government announced a reward of up to 50 million pesos ($11,000) for anyone with information about the slaying of the family, the Spanish newspaper El Pais reports.
Mayor Greisy Roqueme of Aguachica declared a curfew on Sunday night.
"We cannot allow violence to steal our hope, so I demand that the National Government, the Minister of Defense and the Public Force turn their attention to the department of Cesar, but above all to the municipality of Aguachica," Roqueme said in a video on social media, El Pais notes.
The massacre also drew the response of President Gustavo Petro and Director of Religious Affairs of the Ministry of the Interior Alexander Jaimes.
"We express our solidarity with the families of the victims and the religious community," Jaimes said in a statement, according to the Argentina-based online newspaper Infobae.
Anna Lee Stangl, the director of advocacy for CSW, called on the Colombian government to "ensure protection for religious leaders, who remain at risk of violence and intimidation because of their role as peacemakers in their communities."
"As the government continues its post-conflict negotiations with the armed groups, including the National Liberation Army (ELN), which is known to target religious leaders in areas where it operates — such as the Aguachica region — we urge the government to recognize victims from the religious sector within the framework of the individual peace accords," Stangl said.
In October, Colombia's Ombudsman's Office reported an increase in violations of religious freedom rights by 31% between 2023 and 2024, which includes "discriminatory treatment towards churches and religious denominations, as well as death threats against religious leaders and authorities." Death threats increased by 50% between 2023 and 2024.
The murder of Pastor Lora and his family continues a troubling trend of deadly violence impacting Christians in Colombia in recent months, according to CSW.
In November, Ever and Gerson Garcia Velez, brothers who attended church at Valle Del Cauca, were killed by three men on their own farm. On Nov. 11, Pastor Salvador Zapateiro Mercado was killed in circumstances in Cartagena. In August, the home of a pastoral couple was set ablaze by neighbors upset with the services they would hold outside their home.
Colombia ranks as the 34th worst country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution, according to Open Doors International's 2024 World Watch List.
"[C]hurch leaders continue to be harassed, extorted and murdered due to the violence around control of territories between armed guerillas, drug gangs and other armed groups," Open Doors warns. "Christians in these areas who dare to speak publicly about corruption and violence face attacks for their bold witness. Similarly, church leaders who oppose criminal activities in their sermons also can be targeted."
