Exiled Venezuelan Activists Injured in Colombia Shooting

12 HOURS AGO·UPDATED 12 HOURS AGO

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Above: Police officers work at the site where two Venezuelan activists were shot in Bogotá on Oct. 13, 2025. Image copyright: Juan Restrepo/AFP/Getty Images

The Spin

Government-critical narrative

It's no secret that Venezuelan dissidents face great danger even in exile, and that is particularly true in Colombia because the government has failed to guarantee protection for human rights defenders. Given that the authoritarian Maduro regime has been engaged in transnational repression against dissidents, Colombia must investigate whether Caracas ordered this attack and ensure justice.

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Pro-government narrative

Colombia maintains an open-door policy, under which all Venezuelan citizens are welcome and free to express themselves without government interference. The risks for Venezuelan exiles in Colombia are certainly well-known, but no one could have expected such an incident, as police had no complaint of threats against those targeted in this shooting. From now on, the government is expanding security for foreign human rights activists.

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