Colombia: An open letter from Carolina Garzón’s mother to President Petro

My daughter, Carolina Garzón, disappeared in Quito, Ecuador, on 28 April 2012, while she was on holiday with classmates from the District University of Bogotá, where she was studying. Aged 22, she was a student activist and a member of the Socialist Workers’ Party (PST).

The presidents of Ecuador and Colombia at that time were Rafael Correa and Juan Manuel Santos, respectively. We met with officials in both countries: President Correa in his office in Quito, and President Santos through his foreign minister.

The Correa administration approved a reward of $20,000 for information leading to the discovery of my daughter’s whereabouts, and the prosecutors’ offices of both countries coordinated their efforts.

However, after the change in presidents — Lenín Moreno in Ecuador and Iván Duque in Colombia — there was no interest on their part in the case of my daughter’s disappearance. Every April 28 for the past 14 years, we have gone to the Colombian Foreign Ministry in an attempt to speak with whoever is in office and request assistance from the Colombian government in coordinating with the Ecuadorian government.

We did not expect anything from President Duque; as a staunch supporter of Uribe, we knew he had no interest in victims of disappearances, especially student activists and members of left-wing organizations. However, after more than three years, we have received no support from his government, despite expecting at least to be heard. When we go to the Foreign Ministry to seek assistance, they simply tell us to put it in writing.

Senator and presidential candidate Iván Cepeda, as a member of the Movement of Victims of State Crimes (Movice), has also been following my daughter’s case, as have organizations such as the José Alvear Restrepo Collective and Senator Alirio Uribe.

Once again, and perhaps for the last time during your administration, my family and the PST hope that you will listen to us, either directly or through your Foreign Minister. The officials who have headed the Foreign Ministry do not know the pain of having a loved one go missing. You, however, having experienced it with your comrades in the M-19, will understand.

Sincerely,

Alix Mery Ardila

Mother of Carolina Garzón

Bogotá, 28 April 2026

First published here in Spanish by the PST (Colombia)