Colombian Official Shot Dead While Watching World Cup Qualifier
Pradera, Colombia โ – Josรฉ Dorian Jimรฉnez, Secretary of Government forโข the municipality of Pradera, โwas fatally shot โขonโ Tuesday while watching a 2026 World Cup qualifying match between Colombia and Venezuela. Armed โขassailants approached Jimรฉnez and opened fire,โ according to witnesses.
jimรฉnezโค was rushed to a medical center in the โnearby city of Palmira but succumbed to his injuries. A woman present โคat the gathering was also injured and โhospitalized.
The murder has sparkedโฃ outrage fromโฃ Colombian officials. Alejandro Eder, mayor of Cali, stated, “Very hard to receive the news of the murder โขof the Secretary of government of Pradera,โข josรฉ Dorian Jimรฉnez. โThe generalized deterioration of security throughout the country that continues โฃto kill Colombians is โnot acceptable.” Eder emphasized that restoring securityโ “must be the highest priority of the โฃnational government.”
The Valle del Cauca regional government has scheduled โฃan extraordinaryโ security council meeting for Wednesday, September 10, to addressโ the escalating violence.
Jimรฉnez, a former councilor and mayoral candidate in Pradera, was a prominent political figure in the Valle del Caucaโ department. Giovani Yule, director of the Land โRestitution Unit, highlighted Jimรฉnez’s crucial role in working with communities displacedโข during the Colombian armed conflict, stating, โ”This fact hurts us in our hearts andโ reminds us that violence can never be theโค way for the construction ofโฃ a dignified andโฃ fair future.”
The killing comes less than a month after the death of Senator and presidential candidate miguel Uribe Turbay, who died on โAugust 11, 64 days after being seriouslyโ injured in an โขattack in Bogotรก.
