Events in the year 2021 in

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

Incumbents

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Iván Duque Márquez Ivan () is a Slavic male given name, connected with the variant of the Greek name (English: John) from Hebrew meaning 'God is gracious'. It is associated worldwide with Slavic countries. The earliest person known to bear the name was the Bu ...

Vice President A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...

Marta Lucía Ramírez Marta Lucía Ramírez Blanco (born 4 July 1954) is a Colombian lawyer and politician who served as 12th Vice President of Colombia from 2018 to 2022. She also served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia. In 2018, Ramírez became the f ...

Events

* Continuous—

COVID-19 pandemic in Colombia The COVID-19 pandemic in Colombia was a part of the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (). The virus was confirmed to have reached Colombia on 6 March 2020. Up to January 2022 ...

January

* January 5 – General Luis Fernando Navarro says that illegal armed groups lost 5,120 members in 2020. The number includes deaths, capture, and desertions. He said the National Liberation Army (ELN) still has 2,450 members and

Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People's Army (, FARC–EP or FARC) was a Marxist–Leninist Guerrilla warfare, guerrilla group involved in the continuing Colombian conflict starting in 1964. The FARC-EP was officially founded in ...

(FARC) has 2,500. * January 17 – Scientists say the cocaine hippos in the Magdalena river basin are breeding voraciously and are an increasing menace so they must be

culled Culling is the process of segregating organisms from a group according to desired or undesired characteristics. In animal breeding, it is removing or segregating animals from a breeding stock based on a specific trait. This is done to exagge ...

. * January 25 ** FARC changes its name to ''Comunes'' ("Commoners"). ** Notorious

paramilitary A paramilitary is a military that is not a part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces. The Oxford English Dictionary traces the use of the term "paramilitary" as far back as 1934. Overview Though a paramilitary is, by definiti ...

commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank as well as a job title in many army, armies. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countri ...

drug trafficker The illegal drug trade, drug trafficking, or narcotrafficking is a global black market dedicated to the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of prohibited drugs. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types ...

, and

sexual abuse Sexual abuse or sex abuse is abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using physical force, or by taking advantage of another. It often consists of a persistent pattern of sexual assaults. The offender is re ...

r of young girls Hernán Giraldo Serna ("El Taladro") finishes his sentence in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

and returns to Colombia. * January 29 – 647 Haitian nationals, 23

Cubans Cubans () are the citizens and nationals of Cuba. The Cuban people have varied origins with the most spoken language being Spanish. The larger Cuban diaspora includes individuals that trace ancestry to Cuba and self-identify as Cuban but are n ...

, and 19 migrants from African countries are stranded on a beach in

Necoclí Necoclí is a town and Municipalities of Colombia, municipality in Antioquia Department, Colombia. Located on the eastern shore of the Gulf of Urabá, it is part of the Urabá Antioquia sub-region. The population is predominantly Afro-Colombian. ...

Antioquia Department Antioquia () is one of the 32 departments of Colombia, located in the central northwestern part of Colombia with a narrow section that borders the Caribbean Sea. Most of its territory is mountainous with some valleys, much of which is part o ...

, hoping to pass through the

Darién Gap The Darién Gap (, , ) is a geographic region that connects the Americas, American continents, stretching across southern Panama's Darién Province and the northern portion of Colombia's Chocó Department. Consisting of a large drainage basin, ...

Panama Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...

and, eventually, the United States. * January 31 – Seven adults and seven children are killed and 16 people are missing after two boats collide near

Tumaco Tumaco is a port city and municipality in the Nariño Department, Colombia, by the Pacific Ocean. It is located on the southwestern corner of Colombia, near the border with Ecuador, and experiences a hot tropical climate. Tumaco is inhabited main ...

, Nariño Department.

February

* February 8 – Cuba warns of an attack on

Bogotá Bogotá (, also , , ), officially Bogotá, Distrito Capital, abbreviated Bogotá, D.C., and formerly known as Santa Fe de Bogotá (; ) during the Spanish Imperial period and between 1991 and 2000, is the capital city, capital and largest city ...

by the ELN in the "next few days." Mayor

Claudia López Hernández Claudia may refer to: People Ancient Romans *Any woman from the Roman Claudia gens * Claudia (vestal), a Vestal Virgin who protected her father Appius Claudius Pulcher in 143 BC * Claudia Augusta (63–63 AD), infant daughter of Nero by his secon ...

and Defense Minister

Diego Molano Vega Diego Molano Vega (born 6 October 1967) is former Minister of Information Technologies and Communications of Colombia. He was appointed minister by President Juan Manuel Santos since 2010. Molano has led Colombia to become one of the top co ...

say they take the threat seriously.

March

* March 3 – Ten former members of FARC are killed in a

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...

bombing on

Calamar, Guaviare Calamar is a town and municipality in the Guaviare Department, Colombia. Ten former members of Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) were killed in a military bombing on Calamar on March 3, 2021 Like the year 2020, 2021 was also ...

. Three "

dissidents A dissident is a person who actively challenges an established political or religious system, doctrine, belief, policy, or institution. In a religious context, the word has been used since the 18th century, and in the political sense since the 2 ...

" are captured. * March 10 – A 26-year-old woman and her 4-year-old daughter are killed in a

landslide Landslides, also known as landslips, rockslips or rockslides, are several forms of mass wasting that may include a wide range of ground movements, such as rockfalls, mudflows, shallow or deep-seated slope failures and debris flows. Landslides ...

in Siloé,

Cali Santiago de Cali (), or Cali, is the capital of the Valle del Cauca department, and the most populous city in southwest Colombia, with 2,280,522 residents estimate by National Administrative Department of Statistics, DANE in 2023. The city span ...

. * March 27 – A

car bomb A car bomb, bus bomb, van bomb, lorry bomb, or truck bomb, also known as a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), is an improvised explosive device designed to be detonated in an automobile or other vehicles. Car bombs can be roug ...

explodes in

Corinto, Cauca Corinto is a town and municipality in the Cauca Department, Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Co ...

, injuring eleven. A later report indicates 43 were injured. * March 30 – The

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a State (polity), state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive (government), execu ...

sets up a camp in

Arauquita Arauquita is a town and municipality in the Arauca Department, Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The ...

Arauca, Arauca Arauca is a municipality and capital city of the Arauca Department of Colombia. Its full name is Villa de Santa Bárbara de Arauca, it is located at N 07° 05′ 25″ - W 70° 45′ 42″. The Municipality of Arauca has a total population of ...

for 4,700

refugee A refugee, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is a person "forced to flee their own country and seek safety in another country. They are unable to return to their own country because of feared persecution as ...

s from

Apure Apure State (, ) is one of the 23 States of Venezuela, states of Venezuela. Its territory formed part of the provinces of Mérida (state), Mérida, Maracaibo, and Barinas (state), Barinas, in accordance with successive territorial ordinations ...

, Venezuela.

April

* April 28 – The 2021 Colombian protests against tax increases begin.

May

June

July

August

September

* September 27 -– Gásper, a rescue dog at the

Fire Department's

Puente Aranda Puente Aranda is the 16th location of the Bogotá, Capital District, Capital District of the Colombian capital city, Bogotá. It is located in the center part of Bogotá. This district is mostly inhabited by lower middle and working class reside ...

station, goes missing during a search operation at

Guadalupe Hill Guadalupe Hill is a high hill located in the Eastern Hills, uphill from the centre of Bogotá, Colombia. Together with its neighbouring hill Monserrate it is one of the landmarks of Bogotá. At the top of the hill a hermitage and a high statue ...

. His disappearance receives much local, national news coverage and sympathy from the public. He is found 2 days later on the 29th.

October

November

December

Deaths

January

* 1 January – Pablo Hernández, racing cyclist (born 1940). * 2 January – Laura Weinstein, transexual activist; respiratory complications. * 11 January – Luis Adriano Piedrahita, 74, Roman Catholic bishop and theologian; COVID-19; (b. 1946) * 12 January – Álvaro Mejía, long-distance runner (born 1940). * 14 January – Antún Castro Urrutia, 74, musician and actor. * 15 January –

Gildardo García Gildardo García (9 March 1954 – 15 January 2021) was a Colombian chess grandmaster. Biography García became Colombia's second Grandmaster in 1992. His highest rating was 2540 (in July 1994) and he was ranked 14th in Colombia at the time of h ...

, chess player (born 1954). * 21 January – Calixto Avena, 77, footballer; COVID-19. * 26 January –

Carlos Holmes Trujillo Carlos Holmes Trujillo García (23 September 1951 – 26 January 2021) was a Colombian dynasty politician, diplomat, scholar, and attorney who served as minister of defense, foreign affairs, interior, and education. He also served as the mayor ...

, 69, politician,

Defense Minister A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divid ...

; COVID-19. * 27 January – Bertulfo Álvarez, 69, guerrilla fighter ( Caribbean Bloc of the FARC-EP).

February

* 2 February ** Héctor Epalza Quintero, 80, Bishop of

Roman Catholic Diocese of Buenaventura The Roman Catholic Diocese of Buenaventura () is a Latin suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cali, Cali in Colombia, yet depends on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. ...

(2004–2017). ** Yordan Guetio, social activist in

; murdered. * 17 February –

Beder Guerra Gutiérrez Beder may refer to: * Beder (ancient ruler), a claimed Tjeker ruler in ancient Egypt * Beder, Croatia, a settlement near Samobor * Beder, Denmark, a town and suburb of Aarhus * Bedër University, a university in Tirana, Albania People with the su ...

, 67, journalist. * 21 February –

Mireya Arboleda María Mireya Arboleda Cadavid (July 1, 1928 – February 21, 2021) was a Colombian classical pianist and teacher. Early career and education Maria Mireya Arboleda Cadavid was born in Palmira, Valle del Cauca, Colombia on July 1, 1928 to Ferna ...

, 92, classical pianist. * 23 February – Herbin Hoyos, 53, journalist and broadcaster (''Las voces del secuestro'') who was in exile in Spain; COVID-19. * February 25 – Juan Francisco Sarasti Jaramillo, 82, archbishop of

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cali The Archdiocese of Cali () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Colombia. Its episcopal see is located in the city of Cali. History * 7 June 1910: Established as Diocese of Cali from the Metro ...

(2002–2011); COVID-19. * 28 February –

Jorge Oñate Jorge Antonio Oñate González (31 March 1949 – 28 February 2021) was a Colombian singer and composer, one of the most renowned of the vallenato musical genre. As of 2004 and since the beginning of his career in 1968 he had achieved 25 gold d ...

, 71,

vallenato Vallenato () is a popular folk music genre from Colombia. It primarily comes from its Caribbean region. ''Vallenato'' literally means "born in the valley". The valley influencing this name is located between the ''Sierra Nevada de Santa Mar ...

singer; complications from COVID-19.

March

* 2 March – Telma Barria Pinzón, diplomat (

consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states thro ...

of Panama in Colombia); drowned * 24 March –

Pedro Saúl Morales Pedro Saúl Morales (1 October 1959 – 24 March 2021) was a Colombian racing cyclist Cycle sport is competitive physical activity using bicycles. There are several categories of bicycle racing including road bicycle racing, cyclo-cr ...

, 61, racing cyclist; heart attack. * 29 March – Antonio Caro, 71, conceptual artist; heart failure.

April

* 11 April - Guillermo Berrio, 53, footballer; cardiac arrest * 14 April -

Eduardo Enríquez Maya Eduardo Enríquez Maya (11 October 1948 – 14 April 2021) was a Colombian politician. Biography A member of the Colombian Conservative Party, he served in the Chamber of Representatives of Colombia from 1998 to 2006 and the Senate of Colombia fr ...

, 72, politician; COVID-19

May

* 1 May -

José Daniel Falla Robles José Daniel Falla Robles (7 October 1956 – 1 May 2021) was a Colombian Roman Catholic bishop. Biography Falla Robles was born in Colombia and ordained to the priesthood in 1992. He served as titular bishop of ''Calama'' and as auxiliary bis ...

, 65, bishop; COVID-19 * 13 May - Pablo Uribe, 90, Olympic fencer * 17 May - Jesús Santrich, 54,

revolutionary A revolutionary is a person who either participates in, or advocates for, a revolution. The term ''revolutionary'' can also be used as an adjective to describe something producing a major and sudden impact on society. Definition The term—bot ...

Incumbents

Events

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References