Electoral Violence in Latin America: The Challenge of Ensuring Free and Safe Campaigns

Violence against political candidates is no longer confined to a handful of countries. It has emerged as one of the most pressing threats to democratic stability across Latin America.

In a region where organized crime, armed groups and illicit economies continue to expand their territorial influence, ensuring that candidates can campaign without intimidation has become a fundamental requirement for preserving the legitimacy of electoral processes.

The death of Colombian senator and presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe Turbay, following the attack he suffered during a campaign event in Bogotá in June 2025, reignited a debate that reaches far beyond Colombia's borders. Beyond the specifics of the case, the assassination served as a reminder that political violence remains a tangible risk for those seeking public office across much of the region.

Although Latin America has made significant progress in consolidating regular electoral processes over recent decades, protecting candidates remains one of its most persistent institutional challenges. In many parts of the region, threats are no longer driven solely by ideological conflict or insurgent groups. Increasingly, they stem from criminal organizations seeking to preserve control over illicit economies, strategic territories and local power structures.

Electoral Guarantees Beyond Election Day

The integrity of an election depends on more than citizens' ability to cast their ballots freely. It also requires that candidates be able to travel throughout the country, engage with communities and present their proposals without facing disproportionate threats to their lives or the safety of their campaign teams.

Colombia's Electoral Observation Mission (MOE) has warned that attacks against political actors have increased during the current electoral cycle, with the highest risks remaining concentrated in departments historically affected by armed conflict and the presence of illegal groups. Yet Colombia is far from an isolated case.

Mexico has witnessed the killing of dozens of local candidates during recent elections, while the assassination of Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio demonstrated that even national campaigns can become targets for organized crime. Together, these cases have heightened regional concerns about whether governments can provide the minimum security guarantees necessary for democratic competition.

Candidate Protection as a Measure of Democratic Strength

Governments have responded to these risks by expanding security measures. Armored vehicles, personal security details, preventive intelligence and coordination among multiple security agencies have become standard protections for high-profile candidates.

Yet these arrangements also expose deep inequalities. While presidential contenders often receive extensive protection, hundreds of candidates running for mayoral offices, municipal councils and regional assemblies campaign with far fewer resources despite facing comparable, and in some cases greater, risks in areas where criminal organizations maintain a strong presence.

Electoral violence also reaches beyond those seeking office. Threats can discourage civic participation, limit local media coverage and weaken public debate in communities where fear increasingly shapes political life.

A Regional Test for Democratic Institutions

The rise in electoral violence has led international organizations and policy analysts to view candidate security as a key indicator of institutional resilience. A state's ability to protect those participating in democratic competition reflects not only its security capabilities, but also its effective control over territory and its capacity to prevent armed groups and criminal networks from influencing political processes.

In a region marked by political polarization and the expansion of illicit economies, guaranteeing safe campaigns is about far more than protecting individual candidates. It means preserving equal conditions for political competition, ensuring voters have access to a full range of political alternatives and preventing fear from determining who is able to participate in public life.

Ultimately, the strength of a democracy cannot be measured solely by the number of polling stations or the conduct of election day. It is also reflected in whether any citizen can seek elected office, campaign openly and engage with voters without placing their life at risk. Where candidates are free to campaign without fear, public confidence grows alongside the legitimacy of democratic institutions.