Reseña

Despite signing a peace accord in 2016, Colombia remains one of the most dangerous
countries for social mobilization for peace, democracy, and equality. Between
2016 and 2023, 1,804 social leaders and 351 ex-combatants were assassinated. However,
there has been no strong or sustained public outcry in response to this violence.
This policy brief presents findings from a research project examining public attitudes
toward lethal violence against social leaders and ex-combatants, with a focus
on stigmatization against these actors and violence-justifying beliefs and attitudes.
Drawing on data from an online survey conducted in late 2023—which is representative
of the urban population with internet access—the study shows that violence-justifying
attitudes toward both unarmed civilians—who did not engage in insurgent action—
and former guerrilla combatants depends largely on their demands. Although public
opinion tends to be more favorable toward social leaders than ex-combatants, citizen
perceptions of both groups become more negative when these actors advocate for
structural reforms, particularly land redistribution. This is because social mobilization
for land redistribution is often associated with wartime grievances and thus perceived
as a threat to the existing social order. These findings show that redistributive peace
commitments are seen as potentially destabilizing, which in turn reinforces stigma
against actors who advocate for redistribution. The study draws policy and practice
recommendations to counteract such stigmatization, prevent violence, and support the
implementation of the peace accord.