Presunto ataque armado deja herido al candidato Estefanel Gutiérrez en Barranquilla

A reported armed attack left Estefanel Gutiérrez Pérez, a candidate for the House of Representatives from Cambio Radical, injured on the night of Thursday, February 5, in northern Barranquilla. The information was first reported by the newspaper La Libertad, and so far, authorities have not issued an official statement regarding the incident.

According to preliminary information, the events occurred when men on motorcycles fired multiple shots in the area where the political candidate was present. During the attack, one of the bullets struck Estefanel Gutiérrez, resulting in injury.

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Following the incident, the candidate was promptly assisted and taken to a clinic in the city, where he received medical attention. As of now, no official details about his health status have been provided, nor have the exact circumstances surrounding the attack been confirmed.

As of the closure of this report, authorities have not officially commented on the attack, nor have they informed about arrests, hypotheses, or progress in the investigation. An official medical report on the candidate’s condition has also not been issued.

According to La Libertad, the case remains under investigation, and authorities are expected to provide information that will clarify what happened.

According to the aforementioned media outlet, close sources to Estefanel Gutiérrez’s campaign indicated that the candidate may have been hit by a small bullet fragment, which did not cause serious harm. According to these same sources, the candidate is in good condition, but an official statement from his political team is awaited to confirm this information.

The campaign stated that once clarity is achieved regarding the events, a statement will be released to provide further details on the case.

The alleged attack comes days after Estefanel Gutiérrez publicly denounced threats against his political campaign. The former councilor of Barranquilla and current candidate for the House of Representatives asserted that unknown individuals were intimidating the community to prevent the installation of political advertisements related to his candidacy.

The complaint emerged following the circulation of an audio message shared via WhatsApp, in which a man threatens residents of several neighborhoods in southwestern and southeastern Barranquilla.

In the voice message, the man warns residents in areas such as La Pradera, Los Olivos, La Manga, Ciudad Modesto, Me Quejo, Las Malvinas, El Por Fin, La Esmeralda, and 7 de Abril to remove any type of political propaganda from their houses’ facades.

The audio employs intimidating language, indicating that families allowing the installation of political signs would be regarded as “military targets,” raising concerns among residents of these areas.

Following the message’s dissemination, many residents chose to erase, paint over, or cover the walls of their homes, removing any trace of political propaganda. Neighbors from the affected areas noted that the situation caused anxiety and disrupted the tranquility of the weekend, heightening the sense of insecurity.

Gutiérrez Pérez stated that his campaign was among the most affected, as several of the mentioned areas had visible advertising related to his political aspirations.

The case has reignited concerns about security conditions during political campaigns in Barranquilla, particularly in areas where threats and intimidation against the community have been reported.

As of now, it remains unclear whether there is a link between the reported threats and the armed attack, and investigations are anticipated to clarify the motives behind the incident and determine accountability.