Constitutional Court visit to Vaupés comes to an end

In a couple of months, the Constitutional Court will make a final decision on the health situation of indigenous people in the southern department of Vaupés, it was officially announced on Tuesday.

According to the high court's press office, following the judicial inspection carried out in Mitú by three of its magistrates, a ruling is expected as soon as possible on an appeal for protection filed in 2015 by the Ombudsman's Office.

The visit to the capital of Vaupés was led by Judge Gloria Stella Ortiz (presiding judge), who was accompanied by fellow judges Jorge Iván Palacio and Aquiles Arrieta.

In the writ of protection filed against several official entities related to health care in Vaupés, Ombudsman Carlos Javier Bojacá argued that in that department “There is a deficiency in the provision of health services that violates and threatens the lives of its inhabitants.”

As he said at the time, “The indigenous population (of Vaupés) has been severely affected because delayed or non-existent health care has led, for example, to snake bites resulting in the amputation of body parts.”

The non-governmental organization Sinergias accompanied the proceedings and provided a serious and judicious analysis based on evidence gathered by its professionals while they were in that territory in southeastern Colombia between 2012 and 2015.

On behalf of the central government, Luis Fernando Correa, one of the deputy ministers of health, was present in Mitú.

According to Dr. Pablo Montoya, director of Sinergias, the Constitutional Court's historic visit to Mitú and its surroundings will set a precedent for vindicating the rights of the indigenous population and the urgent need to implement comprehensive solutions that are planned and executed with a differential approach and built together with local communities and authorities.

According to official figures, Vaupés is a department with 42,000 inhabitants, 60% of whom are considered indigenous.