Colonel Héctor Jairo Betancourt, commander of Neiva's Metropolitan Police, called the rise in terrorist attacks in 2026 compared to 2025 'alarming', with four explosives detonated. He stressed that 'in terrorism, es mucho más lo que se ha prevenido' due to seizures. Homicides are up by five cases, but thefts have dropped markedly.
In an interview published on May 3, 2026, Colonel Héctor Jairo Betancourt outlined Neiva's crime statistics up to that date. Compared to the same period in 2025, homicides rose from 21 to 26 cases, with a tough year start featuring weeks of two or three deaths. "Neiva tiene una incidencia fuerte en odios generacionales", he explained, though early 2026 killings stemmed from particular situations under investigation.
Containment strategies have since achieved weeks without homicides, now tied to traditional feuds. Betancourt aims to "llegar a cero porque no hay ninguna muerte que se justifique". Meanwhile, thefts from persons fell by 91 cases (from 1,465 to 1,374), with 14% to 70% reductions across types, including 49% fewer cellphones stolen (from 475 to 242).
On terrorism, zero cases marked 2025 at this point, but 2026 has four detonations that "sembraron la zozobra". "En cifras es alarmante, pero en la realidad con todo lo que se ha incautado es mucho más lo que se ha prevenido", the commander stated. Explosives are rudimentary, likely targeting commerce to enforce extortions, which rose from 37 to 42 reports—though he credits the uptick to greater Gaula trust.
Delitos like common injuries, sexual crimes, and domestic violence are declining. Betancourt emphasized rebuilding community trust for preventive tips and collaborative work with Fiscalía, Ejército, and locals in a security 'ecosistema'.
