Still from Amnesty International video.

On February 25, PBI-Colombia tweeted: “Watch @amnesty and @situ_research reconstructed the May 3 massacre in Cali. Where the young Kevin Agudelo was murdered among others. The reconstruction shows the responsibility of the police in the events.”

This media release further explains: “An event reconstruction by SITU Research and Amnesty International details how Colombian security forces assaulted peaceful protesters in the Siloé neighbourhood of the city of Cali on 3 May.”

It adds: “[The Operation Siloé] joint incursion by members of the National Police, the Mobile Anti-Riot Squad (ESMAD) and the Special Operations Group of the Colombian National Police (GOES) targeted people taking part in a vigil at the La Glorieta roundabout in the Siloé neighbourhood.”

Three people, including Kevin Agudelo, died of gunshot wounds that evening.

Erika Guevara-Rosas of Amnesty International says: “We hope that the Attorney General’s Office will make advances in the investigation into the death of Kevin Agudelo and the other serious human rights violations committed during Operation Siloé.”

She further highlights: “If there is sufficient and admissible evidence against those suspected of criminal responsibility, [they should be brought] to justice in a fair trial before ordinary civilian courts. This is the first step towards building a Colombia where human rights are respected; it is imperative that impunity does not prevail for these serious crimes.”

The 6-minute video that reconstructs the events of May 3, 2021, can be seen here.

Bell 212 (UH-1H) helicopter. Photo by Paul Filmer.

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