The following is a list of notable massacres in Colombia, defined by the Colombian government as the intentional killing of three or more people in one incident. Most documented massacres have been a part of the wider Colombian conflict (1964–present day).
According to the Grupo de Memoria Histórica (), there were 2,505 massacres in Colombia between 1973 and 2008.
Before 1980 Name Data Place Dead InjuredPerpetrator NotesPutumayo genocide - Putumayo Department32,000 - 40,000+unknownPeruvian Amazon CompanyMembers of the Huitoto, Andoques, Yaguas, Ocaina and Boras groups were hunted and enslaved so they could be used to extract latex. During this time period, several tribes became extinct.Banana MassacreCiénaga, Magdalenaestimated 47 - 2,000unknown Colombian ArmyMassacre of striking United Fruit Company workers by the Colombian ArmyLuis Angel Arango Library: the banana massacre1939 Gachetá massacre8 January 1939Gachetá, Cundinamarca917uncertainThe details of the event have been controversial, but the official version showed a balance of nine dead and 17 wounded, all related to the Colombian Conservative Party.Bogotazo9 April 1948Bogotá600 - 3,000450Massive riots took place in Bogotá, after the assassination of presidential candidate Jorge Eliécer Gaitán.
1980s Name Data Place Dead InjuredPerpetrator Notes1984 Diners Club shootingNovember 1985 and January 1984Otero, Cali95Jaime Serrano Santibañez Luis Jamer Rodríguez Díaz Francisco Antonio Ruíz Gómezwas a robbery perpetrated by three common criminals in the Otero Building in Cali, Colombia, on December 3, 1984, which left nine dead and five wounded.Palace of Justice siege6–7 November, 1985Palace of Justice, Bogotá98Several 19th of April Movement Members of the 19th of April Movement take over the Palace of Justice, the home of the Supreme Court of Colombia, in hopes of forcing a trial of President Belisario Betancur. 98 people were killed, including 35 militants, 48 soldiers and 11 of the 25 Supreme Court Justices.Tacueyó massacreNovember 1985 and January 1986Tacueyó, Toribío, Cauca164unknownRicardo Franco FrontThe Tacueyó massacre occurred between November 1985 and January 1986 in the township of Tacueyó, where the guerrilla "Comando Ricardo Franco Frente-Sur" was attacked. The massacre was discovered on December 13, 1985, and was carried out by guerrillas Hernando Pizarro Leongómez and Jose Fedor Rey (alias Javier Delgado) alleging that the 164 guerrillas killed in their own group were, according to them, infiltrators or informers of the National Army of Colombia or the CIA.Pozzetto massacre4 December 1986Bogotá30 (including the perpetrator)12Campo Elías DelgadoStabbing attack and spree shooting at two apartment buildings and the Restaurante Pozzetto; gunman shot dead by police Massacre of Trujillo1988–1994Trujillo, Valle del Caucaestimated 245 - 342unknownCali CartelSome 245 to 342 people, including unionists and suspected guerrilla supporters, were tortured and dismembered by paramilitaries and the Cali Cartel with the complicity of active members of the Colombian military and police."False positives" 1988–2010nationwide6,402+ (2002–2008)unknown Colombian militaryMembers of the military and civilian collaborators lured poor or mentally impaired civilians to remote parts of the country with offers of work, killed them, and presented them as left wing guerrillas killed in battle, in an effort to inflate body counts.Honduras and La Negra farms massacre4 March 1988Urabá Antioquia, Antioquia20unknownhired assassins under direction of Voltíjeros Battalion of the National Army of ColombiaMurder of banana workers orchestrated by the Voltíjeros Battalion of the National Army of Colombia aided by former members of the Popular Liberation Army and financed by the Association of Farmers and Stockbreeders of Magdalena Medio.La Mejor Esquina massacre3 April 1988 Buenavista, Córdoba280Los Magnificos28 peasants are killed during an attack by the Los Magníficos gang, a paramilitary groupSegovia massacre11 November 1988Segovia, Antioquia43 - 4650 - 60+Muerte a Revolucionarios del NordesteThe paramilitary group Muerte a Revolucionarios del Nordeste massacres 43-46 people in the urban area of the municipality of Segovia.La Rochela massacre18 January 1989La Rochela, Simacota, Santandar123hitmen under direction of Rodriguez Gacha15 judicial officials, who were investigating crimes committed in the area, were rounded up and shot by a group of gunmen sent by Rodriguez Gacha. 12 of the officials were killed, while 3 survivedAvianca Flight 203 bombing27 November 1989Cerro Canoas, Soacha, Cundinamarca1100Muñoz Mosquera, Medellín CartelThe Avianca Flight 203 is bombed en route from Bogotá to Cali. Medellín cartel hitman Dandeny Muñoz Mosquera is convicted for the bombing.DAS Building bombing6 December 1989Bogotá63600+Medellín CartelA truck bomb at the DAS headquarters kills 63 people and injures over a 600. The Medellín Cartel was responsible
1990s
NameDataPlaceDeadInjuredPerpetratorNotesVillatina massacre15 November 1992Medellín, Antioquia90 Colombian National PoliceAt least eight children and one young adult were killed by the Colombian National Police.Riofrio massacre5 October 1993Riofrío, Valle del Cauca130 Colombian National ArmyIn the village of El Bosque, Piedras Portugal, 13 ELN guerrillas died in combat with troops from the Palacé Battalion of the III Brigade. They were surprised while they prepared a handstand.Mapiripán massacre15–20 July 1997Mapiripán, Meta30 - 490 United Self-Defense Forces of ColombiaAround 30 to 49 people were killed with chainsaws and machetes by the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC)El Aro Massacre22 October 1997Ituango, Antioquia15 - 170 United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia 15 to 17 individuals accused of being leftist supporters of FARC were massacred by AUCSan José del Guaviare massacre11–12 November 1997San José del Guaviare, Guaviare110 United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia A Group of paramilitaries from the Centauros Bloc arrived in the municipality of San José del Guaviare and murdered 11 people.Barrancabermeja massacre16 May 1998Barrancabermeja, Santander32unknown Autodefensas de Santander y el Sur del CesarA group of paramilitaries belonging to the armed group Autodefensas de Santander y el Sur del Cesar, Ausac, assassinated seven people and kidnapped 25 others in the surroundings of the city of Barrancabermeja, in the region of SantanderMachuca Massacre18 October 1998Machuca, Antioquia70 - 8430+ National Liberation Army Guerrillas belonging to the National Liberation Army (ELN) dynamited an oil pipeline which caused a spreading fire to the village. 70-84 people lost their lives, many of them children.Villanueva Massacre8 December 1998Villanueva, La Guajira110 United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia 11 people were assassinated by members of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) by orders of Carlos Castaño.Santo Domingo massacre13 December 1998Santo Domingo, Tame, Arauca1727A Colombian Air Force (FAC) helicopter murdered seventeen people in the middle of a confrontation with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People's Army (FARC-EP).Playón de Orozco massacre9 January 1999El Piñón, Magdalena270 United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia Paramilitaries from the North Block of the AUC shot and killed 27 people and dismembered them1999 San José del Guaviare massacre28 July 1999San José del Guaviare, Guaviare40uncertaina group of armed men murdered four people on the road leading from Puerto Arturo to El Retiro, in the municipality of San José del Guaviare.La Gabarra massacre21 August 1999La Gabarra, Tibú, Norte de Santanderestimated 35 - 43unknown United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia A massacre was perpetrated by members of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia against alleged members of FARC, killing 35-43 people.
2000s
Name Data Place Dead InjuredPerpetrator NotesEl Salado massacre16 February 2000El Salado, Bolívar60 - 100+unknown United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia Mass murder of residents by United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia.Reminiscencias dance club shooting24 June 2000Bogotá117Juan de Jesús Lozano VelásquezMass shooting by two patrons at the Reminiscencias tavern barMacayepo massacre14 October 2000Macayepo, Bolívar150 United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia Mass murder of 15 peasants by Héroes de los Montes de María, a unit of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC)Chengue Massacre17 January 2001Chengue, Ovejas, Sucre270 United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia 27 people are killed with mortars and machetes by AUCAlto Naya massacre10 and 13 April 2001Alto Naya, Cauca100 estimatedunknown United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia A group of more than 100 paramilitaries from the Calima Block of the AUC led by Everth Veloza, alias 'HH', toured the municipalities and territories surrounding the Naya River, located on the borders of Cauca and Valle del Cauca, transporting in trucks, On the way, they murdered peasants who were identified as collaborators with the guerrilla.2002 Apartadó massacre26 April 2002Apartadó, Antioquia 92 Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia Members of the fifth and fifty-eighth fronts of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) arrived in the Salsipuedes area in the municipality of Apartadó, Antioquia, entered the Villa Lucía banana plantation, blew up the property, gathered its workers, and after asking them for the site's managers and getting no response, they shot them indiscriminately. Nine people died and two others were injured.Bojayá massacre2 May 2002 Bojayá, Chocó11998 Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia FARC launches a mortar bomb against a church during combat with AUC, killing at least 119 civilians, 48 of whom were children.2003 El Nogal Club bombing7 February 2003Bogotá36200+ Revolutionary Armed Forces of ColombiaA car bomb goes off in the garage of the El Nogal club in Bogotá, killing 36 people and injuring 200+2003 Neiva bombing14 February 2003Neiva, Huila1566 Revolutionary Armed Forces of ColombiaThe FARC-EP carry out an attack using a house loaded with explosives in Neiva (Huila) with which they intended to assassinate President Álvaro Uribe . 15 people die, including a prosecutor and the sectional captain of intelligence of the Colombian National Police in Neiva, and 66 are injured.Bahía Portete massacre16 April 2004Bahía Portete, La Guajira121 United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia Murder of 12 members of the Wayuu Indigenous community by paramilitary groups of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) Wayuu Counter-Insurgency Bloc2004 La Gabarra massacre15 June 2004La Gabarra, Tibú, Norte de Santander340 Revolutionary Armed Forces of ColombiaA Group of men from the 33rd Front of the FARC-EP arrived at the farm located on the Pico de Águila hill, in the district of La Gabarra, in Tibú, Norte de Santander, and murdered 34 peasants.2004 Cunday massacre3 September 2004Cunday, Tolima40 Tequendama Front of the Centauros BlocParamilitaries from the Tequendama Front of the Centauros Bloc murdered four people in the municipality of Cunday, TolimaJamundí massacre21–22 February 2005 Jamundí, Valle del Cauca110 Colombian National ArmyMassacre of ten policemen and a civilian by the Colombian National Army. San José de Apartadó massacre21–22 February 2005San José de Apartadó, Apartadó, Antioquia 80Military of Colombia, United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia Mass murder of five adults and three children by members of the Military of Colombia and United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia2007 Balsillas massacre10 June 2007Balsillas63Yeimer Alberto Jiménez Rodríguez Jair Farfán MoorMass shooting at a military school by 2 soldiers after a disputeNariño massacres4 and 11 February 2009Nariño Department270 Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia 27 indigenous Awás were massacred in two massacres perpetrated by members of the rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
2010s