Five Nasa indigenous guards were murdered on October 29, 2019 in the Cauca department of southern Colombia. The massacre is part of a wave of killings in Colombia's most conflicting regions. Regions where communities oppose mega-energy projects and demand the right to control their territory. This is the case of the Aboriginal guard, who, using a symbolic stick representing the collective authority of the community, defend their territories from all threats that jeopardize the very possibility of living there. All indications are that those responsible for the deaths are a FARC splinter group.

Faced with the pressure of political assassinations that are multiplying, the national government announced the arrival of 2500 soldiers to collaborate with the traditional authorities. The Nasa authorities remain firm, they prohibit the presence of any armed actors in their territories, which includes the national army denounced for the abuses committed. The Community Assembly, met to determine how to deal with the situation, considering that the government is responsible for the increase in violence. This is a response to the cancellation of coca leaf crop substitution programs, which, according to the peace agreements with the FARC, were to allow the region to enter a transitional phase in order to get the region out of the illegal economy.

Two days later, four people were found murdered in the north of the department. These deaths are in addition to the long list of 660 social leaders murdered in the past four years. The CRIC - Cauca Indigenous Regional Council and ONIC - National Indigenous Organization of Colombia have been demanding the resignation of the Minister of Defence since October 31.

Defence Minister resigns amid international humanitarian law violation scandal.

For several months, the Ministry of Defence's policy had been criticized, denouncing that it was fuelling war, rather than protecting the population. The case dates back to August 30, as usual, the Minister of Defense announced via Twitter a military victory against dissents of the FARC in the department of Caqueta. The bombing had left 15 dead. However, in debate in parliament, a forensic scan found that seven of the bodies belonged to children and adolescents, contradicting the version presented to the United Nations a few weeks earlier. This violation of international humanitarian law led to the resignation of the Minister on 6 November.