On October 14, 2025, masked students at the Universidad del Atlántico protested over the election process for the appointment of the university’s new rector, damaging university property.

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 students rioted on October 14, some participants set objects on fire, threw low-power homemade explosives, sprayed graffiti, and burned banners of the rector candidates.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about the destruction of campus property and infrastructure in the course of a protest. Such acts erode the right to education, and diminish everyone’s access to a safe, free and open university space. State and campus authorities should take all reasonable measures to prevent and respond to such incidents, including ensuring campus security and conducting prompt and thorough investigations, as appropriate.

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/