Welcome to the Empire Files podcast. This is your host, Abby Martin. This is the audio of our show.

You can watch the episodes on our YouTube channel or at the Empirefiles.tv.

On October 5th, 2017, deep in the rainforest of Tumaco, Colombia, dozens of peasant farmers gathered to protest the Colombian

police.

The state forces had come to destroy their coca crops in violation of a government agreement

for gradual crop substitution.

But suddenly things turned deadly as the police opened the fire on the unarmed campasinos.

The gunfire continued for several minutes, as those fleeing were shot.

In the end, around 50 civilians were injured, and at least eight were killed.

It was the largest mass killing in the country since the end of the 53-year-armed conflict,

a historic peace deal barely a year old.

Many say this massacre could endanger the fragile peace process

and is evidence that the Colombian government is already violating its end of the deal,

under which the FARC, or revolutionary armed forces of

Colombia, completely disarmed. The Santos government initially denied the incident and blamed it on

FARC militants, but clear evidence forced their acknowledgement of guilt. Yet none of the shooters have been

arrested, and only four have been placed on leave.

But with victims struggling in peace and jeopardy, justice delayed is justice denied.

I went to Colombia one month after the massacre and traveled far into the jungle to uncover what the government is so desperately trying to hide.

The Campesinos live in the most remote farmlands that took days by air, land, and water

to reach.

The labyrinthine canals and waterways keeps these small villages hidden inside pristine natural

...