Threats Against Christians Continue

(Compass) – After a pause in threats by illegal armed groups against evangelical pastors, Bogotá church leaders are once again receiving “vaccination” extortion demands. Two armed groups fighting in Colombia ’s civil conflict, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and the United Auto-defenses of Colombia (AUC), have pledged not to threaten, injure or kidnap pastors and church leaders. However, the largest insurgency group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), has no such agreement with evangelicals. “From what I know right now, there are threats of kidnapping pastors to demand money, but the threats have not crystallized,” said Hector Pardo, head of the Colombia Evangelical Alliance. Pardo declined to disclose how many such demands have been made or by whom, citing security concerns. Meanwhile, the FARC has demanded more than $11,000 for the release of Carlos Herrera, an agronomist and evangelical Christian kidnapped three months ago in the department (state) of Antioquia.