This is the case of Maria del Pilar Hurtado

Amid confusions and conflicting theories, the investigations related to the crime of the alleged social leader that shocks Colombia continue

New theories emerge in relation to the atrocious murder of María Del Pilar Hurtado in front of her children in the town of Córdoba, in Colombia, which occurred on June 21 and which shocked this country. In LatinAmerican Post we review the case, which continues in investigations and in the midst of confusion.

Leer en español: Estas son las novedades del caso de Maria del Pilar Hurtado

In the midst of the murder of Hurtado, there is also a problem due to invasions in a plot by the father of the mayor of Tierralta, Córdoba, Fabio Otero, which is related to the case of María del Pilar. The NGO Cordoberxia claims that the Gaitanista Self-defenses threatened the invaders of that lot and for that reason, they killed Hurtado, even though Otero himself assured that he had negotiated peacefully with the invaders and that the deceased had no ties to the issue, said El Heraldo.

However, a pamphlet of the Gaitanist Authorities had been circulating since June 2. It refers to Hurtado as "the fat woman of the junkyard" -Hurtado was recycling along with her husband Manuel Berrío- an said, "these people are declared military targets, we are already tired of this herd of […] unemployed people who spend their time invading lots."

Also read: Colombia: Violence against women activists, leaders and defenders

After the crime of Hurtado, 34, the Mayoralty of Tierralta published a statement in which Cordoberxia, directed by Andres Chica, said: "Mrs. María del Pilar Hurtado Montaño is a social leader and was referenced in a threatening pamphlet."

In a security council held a day after the unfortunate event, the Mayor of Tierralta said "A month ago in Tierralta there were five invasions of which there is an estate of my father. As mayor, I addressed all those people who were invading, we peacefully reached an agreement and those people left the premises voluntarily and this is unfortunately related to these issues that have nothing to do, but we are letting the Prosecutor's Office say the perpetrators from all of this."

The Herald, according to statements made by the victim's husband, Berrío, stated that the victim did not serve as a social leader and that he had not received threats either. "We do not know why they killed her, she was a worker, we had no problem with anyone, we just worked for our children," he said in tears.

That version was denied by the radio station Unicauca Estéreo, who posted an interview with Rocío Pérez, coordinator of the Municipal Table of Victims of Puerto Tejada, who assures that Hurtado was a leader and that, therefore, if he was threatened, even in the southwest of the country. Even added that "on June 8 she was the victim of a beating by unknown persons without that until now the authorities have found those responsible," Heraldo closed.

The ELN would not be responsible

The Colombian Minister of Defense, Guillermo Botero, allegedly accused the National Liberation Army (ELN) of this crime, a theory that would have been replicated by Álvaro Uribe in a trill. Shortly after, Botero himself used his Twitter account to rectify the information: "I want to clarify that the investigations are continuing."

The presidential adviser for Human Rights, Francisco Barbosa, said that the ELN could not be the perpetrator of the murder "because they do not operate in this area," in which there is a presence of other organizations such as El Clan del Golfo and Los Caparrapos, Semana reported.

Publimetro delved into the issue and said in an article that the ELN denied responsibility for the murder of Hurtado. He adds that around the tragic death, a touching video of one of her kids crying when seeing his mother lying on the ground went viral.

In that sense, the ELN went out to inform through a statement that they are not the executors of this crime. The statement was made public after the series of accusations that linked the organization with the case of Hurtado. "[…] in this region the National Liberation Army has not been present for 30 years."

The body of Hurtado was moved to Puerto Tejada, Cauca, its native population, and where arrived early Sunday morning so that his family and friends gave her a last goodbye this Monday, June 24.

90 minutes reported that the Government of Cauca supported the transfer of the body of the murdered woman. The security forces are offering up to 20 million pesos to anyone who can provide information about the alleged killers. So far, the only thing that is clear is that the material authors were two men on a motorcycle.

LatinAmerican Post | Onofre Zambrano

Translated from "Estas son las novedades del caso de Maria del Pilar Hurtado"