A Protestant Christian church leader has died after being shot six times, including twice in the head, following a religious service in northern Colombia on 8 January 2025.  

Iván García, a 28-year old church leader and preacher, his 14-year old stepdaughter and six other people were walking along a rural, unlit road after participating in a spiritual celebration at the People of God Christian Vision Church where his wife, Pastor Karen Nierles, had been invited to lead a Bible study, when two individuals on a motorcycle stopped, dismounted and opened fire on the church leader, and then left the scene. A woman standing next to him was also injured after a bullet hit her arm.  

Mr García had been married to Pastor Nierles, who was the leader of the New Rebirth in Christ Church in the village of Garital, in the Banana Cultivation Zone (Zona Bananera) of Magdalena Department, for six months. According to his wife, his active involvement in the small church had contributed to rapid growth, from seven to 30 committed members. Although Mr García was a former member of an illegal armed group before returning to his Christian faith, his wife told CSW that he had never mentioned receiving any threats or warnings. ‘A few days ago, he told me that he was not afraid to teach the Bible, that he had a new life. He told me ‘For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain’.’ 

Pastor Yimys Peñalosa, leader of the Church of Revival and Fire for the Nations, Under His Glory denomination, to which Pastor Nierles’ church belongs, told CSW that around a month ago the couple heard two gunshots as they were leaving Mr García’s place of work and ran to their home, but had not interpreted the event as a threat aimed at them. Mr García’s funeral was held on 11 January in Zulia Department, where he was raised and where his mother still lives.  

This is the second targeted assassination of a Protestant Christian leader in northern Colombia in the space of two weeks. On 29 December, Pastor Marlon Lora, his wife Yurlay Rincon, and his adult daughter Ángela were all killed immediately after hitmen opened fire on them as they ate lunch at a restaurant following a Sunday morning church service in Aguachica, Cesar Department. The pastor’s son, Santiago, was hospitalised in critical condition and died a few days later. 

CSW’s Director of Advocacy Anna Lee Stangl said: ‘CSW grieves with the family and church community of Iván García. The nature of the attack on Mr García, like the massacre two weeks ago of Pastor Marlon Lora and his entire family, indicate that these are premeditated, targeted assassinations. Religious leaders have long been a target of illegal armed and criminal groups for many reasons, including the role many of them take up as peacemakers and their willingness to use their influence in their communities to encourage others to reject participation violent and criminal activities. Mr García had made a decision, despite the risks, to separate himself from an illegal armed group because of his religious beliefs and it is unacceptable that he might have been made to pay for that choice with his life.  We reiterate our demand that the Colombian government take immediate action to reverse its changes to Decree 1066 to include a specific protection protocol which addresses the unique needs of religious leaders in Colombia and reinstate the inclusion of religious leaders in the National Protection System as a matter of urgency. A full investigation into both sets of murders must take place and those responsible must be held to account.’ 

Note to Editors: 

1. Decree 1066 is one of various legal instruments under which the Colombian government must implement and provide specific protective security measures to certain categories of high-risk individuals, communities and organisations. In 2023, the government amended the legislation and removed religious leaders as a category of at high-risk individual with the right to access these protection programmes.