Violence and repression are so extreme that those who speak out against power must protect themselves, because they are threatened. Only those who read the journal on paper will be able to know the real name and image of Orozco; for security, on the Internet they cannot face. The 32-year-old activist has been working for his entire life in the struggle for human rights and, as he describes us, living in the communities of the department of Chocó, in the Pacific region, is “very complex”: “We live with anguish every day, Chocón is continuously confronted. Paramilitaries are very strong there, and communities are always in the midst of conflict. We are far from the city centre and many do not have basic needs, those related to electricity and communication covered. We are victims of confinements and armed stops, and families and communities are captive within their territory. People cannot carry out their daily activities freely, such as going out to the field, picking up the harvest, fishing...”.

The FARC governments and guerrillas signed Peace Accords in 2016, but Orozco is clear that the country has not had peace, despite the expectations raised by the peace processes: “Above all, we hope for peace processes, because we want peace in the communities”. The murders and recruitment of young people were expected to end, but it was quite the opposite: “The FARC had a large territory under their control, and when they left, those lands were left free and occupied by paramilitaries; in addition, there were some dissidents of the FARC”. When they believed they had freed themselves from the armed forces, other armed groups came, “to suppress the population, stronger and with the support of the State itself.” The massacres have not stopped and the forced displacement of people and communities is the daily bread.

Orozco has suffered repression since childhood, and his family has also been the victim of paramilitaries. But he has assured us that there has now been a change in the mold, that is to say that illegal armed groups wanted to do a face wash. Among other things, they have sought political recognition through their participation in the peace dialogues. “Before they used too much violence and now they are trying to get into the social side, playing with people’s needs.” Now they enter the communities saying that they are going to give needs that the state does not meet, and Orozco says that the move is “worrying” because the change of strategy works. The paramilitary says they are becoming “giants”: “If someone comes to a hungry people and needs to offer a little solution, they will do it easily.” The change in the message of the paramilitaries has been “drastic” in the eyes of the Colombian: “They use policies of supposed social investments, arguing that they are at the service of citizens and are not like before.” According to the entrepreneur, “they are the same but with different names”.

What is most worrying is the situation of young people, who often fall into the hands of the paramilitaries. “Many young people disappear from the villages and after a few months you realize that they are in the ranks of paramilitaries.” Why? It says that they take advantage of the lack of opportunities for the future of young people. “In most Colombian departments the possibilities are scarce and it is difficult to learn and work. Paramilitaries offer young people a wage in return, according to them, for decent work. But the reality is that that work is not legal and you don't do it for your community. On the contrary, you’re a cannon lunch in struggles or conflicts with other armed groups.”

The government on the left, I fuck

How can we reverse this situation of violence? Many trusted the current president, Gustavo Petro, because the arrival of a leftist government in the 2022 elections brought new winds and shocks to Colombia. “Hope is the last thing that is lost,” says Orozco, but as he reaches the middle of his term, he is not optimistic with Petro’s ability to change. “It is clear to us that Petro will not solve the problem of Colombia in four years’ time.” However, they believe in the president, who is “the government of the people”, after decades ruled by the Colombian right.

Social movements and farmers, for example, have considered the recognition of Petro by the territory of Tecam as an achievement. In Colombia, Tecama is an important figure of territorial organization that seeks to strengthen governance in ten million hectares through self-determination, food sovereignty and support to ecosystems. The Colombian government has granted them recognition, but, according to the Colombian activist, "it is not enough". “What are we going to do with the earth if we continue in a permanent conflict and cannot be in those lands? In addition to the ownership of that land, we need the security to live there; we want to live peacefully, to cultivate the land, as it was many years ago. Recognition is a great achievement, but this government has to do more for communities, at least try to improve it.” Orozco calls on this left-wing government to mediate for confrontations to be reduced in communities.

Chocó’s activist has recognised that the situation in some departments is worse than in the year before 2022. “But we dream that it will change over the next two years for the benefit of the people who need it the most.” However, the network of powerful is more complex and broader, and “the one who governs does not have all the strength.” Would Petro's stricter measures improve the lives of Colombians? “Maybe yes, but that’s not going to guarantee anything. We know that there will be others who will try to make the situation worse by their interests and there will be confrontation. Even so, communities would be at the center of the conflict.”

In addition to the Government, the departmental authorities also have much to say: “These mayors and governors are another parasite of the State and are responsible for the impoverishment of the territories so much that, among other things, they hardly invest in the communities.” It says that it has a “very difficult” solution and that it needs to be changed at its root. “Paramilitarism continues to be used by those who have historically commanded it and by those who still have power. They are the ones who protect and finance the paramilitaries. As long as Petro has no more people in his favor, working for the good of peoples and communities, it will be very difficult.”

First step to change, make the problem visible

Laura Orozco is clear that it is essential to get out of forced isolation and to make reality visible, as well as to organize the citizenship. Its main tool is visibility: “Because we know that when what happens in the community stays in the community, nobody helps us.” He has called on international organizations to give a voice to the Colombian conflict and has highlighted the Humanitarian Caravan for Life, Peace and Permanence in the Territory, which was supported by 11 social and trade union agents from Euskal Herria. During the months of July and August, “the largest and longest humanitarian caravan in history” was held by Arauca, South Bolivar, Chocó, southwestern Colombia and eastern Antioch, with the participation of numerous local and international agents.

It ensures that they met the objectives: “We enter the communities most hit by armed struggles, to listen to their needs and accompany them. Access to these places is very difficult, and the caravan allowed us. In addition, in Chocón, for example, we also made a health brigade; the people needed a lot, and thanks to the caravan we were able to alleviate that gap a little bit.” But the ultimate purpose of the caravan is to collect the needs they have in all these territories and the violations of rights detected and to prepare a report to transfer them to the Government. “Because they are one of the main responsibility for this situation, we have seen that the aid that has been provided so far has been virtually zero.” The information gathered in these reports is an important way of ordering and naming the invisible.

Resistance, above fear

Orozco has underlined that it must be appreciated that, despite the extreme situation, people are still in the territory, in resistance. “They have chosen to organize themselves in many territories, not to be puppets of armed groups.” Seeing that they do not have the support of state institutions, “being they who have to ensure the well-being of communities”, they have seen that the only solution is to organize among them and create solid structures.

He has explained to us that it is important structures that are responsible for monitoring: indigenous guard, peasant guard, interethnic guard... And now they are on their way to create the women’s watch, “because it is women who suffer the most from the effects of the conflict,” and they intend to coordinate with the women of the communities. “Guards are the most important mechanism we have for care and our protection. We protect life and family and help us stay in the territory.”

Another key to explaining the complexity of the conflict is that many of the territories hit are strategic points, either because they are steps towards drug trafficking, or because of their rich biodiversity and because one can get a fortune from extremism. “People are becoming aware of what we have in our lands and we know that the elite of Colombia wants us to do that. When you realize what others want to take away from you, you assert more strongly than that is yours and you make more resistance to staying.”

Orozco has pointed out that more and more citizens have organised themselves because they have been tired of living in fear. “We’ve realized that we haven’t achieved anything, just escaping and leaving the free path to those who want to take what’s theirs.” Chocón, an activist in resistance since his birth, has stressed that the strategy of fear does not always work for the powerful.