On October 2, 2025, several groups of students clashed regarding the appointment of the university’s new rector and detonated low-power explosive devices at the Universidad del Atlántico.

Rector elections for the 2025-2029 term took place throughout October 2025. The five-candidate race was contentious and sparked multiple protests within the university community, particularly regarding conflicts of interests, corruption allegations, and a lack of transparency in the electoral process. After lawyer and former city councilman Leyton Barrios was eventually announced as rector, students alleged irregularities in the process and called for government intervention and investigation.

As a result of the clashes on October 2, the acting rector suspended the vote. At least twenty people were injured during the altercations.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about on-campus clashes impeding the functioning of a university. All members of the higher education community must refrain from violence, especially on campus. Such incidents create a chilling effect on the academic community, threatening both institutional autonomy and the personal safety of scholars. In addition to the harm to the immediate victim, such incidents undermine academic freedom and democratic society generally.

Sources:
*SAR identified this incident in data made publicly available by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPI0Yr2XZ00
https://www.infobae.com/colombia/2025/10/30/video-caos-total-en-la-universidad-del-atlantico-por-eleccion-de-rector-los-estudiantes-protagonizaron-desmanes-y-bloqueos/
https://www.pulzo.com/nacion/crisis-en-la-universidad-del-atlantico-disputa-politica-por-el-rector-y-autonomia-universitaria-en-riesgo-PP4850144A
https://www.wradio.com.co/2025/11/10/sigue-la-disputa-por-la-rectoria-de-la-universidad-del-atlantico/