How did conservative groups and an alliance between the Catholic Church and the Evangelical Church contributed to frustrate a peace process between FARC and the Colombian government?

For 50 years and in seven different occasions, different Colombian governments have tried to reach a peace treaty with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). President Juan Manuel Santos came close to achieving it through a referendum. To attain disarmament, armed groups had to recognize their mass rapes, killings, and kidnappings directed to vulnerable populations such as women and the LGBTIQ community. For decades, these populations had been targets of guerrilla and paramilitary groups.

In this context, ultra-conservative movements played a key role to distort the gender approach that Juan Manuel Santos’ government used to build peace with FARC, turning it into a post-truth. They claimed that the gender approach was synonymous with “gender ideology” and that if the treaty was approved, Colombians would become homosexuals. Against all odds, this “argument” held its weight at the moment of the referendum when Colombians voted No.

The campaign against peace was filled with lies. Religious groups assured that peace was an open door to the homosexualization of the country, that the Devil wanted to enter Colombia, that FARC wanted to attain power.

The documentary shows these are not isolated events. Rather, they respond to a coordinated effort from evangelical and conservative forces in the region. Gender Under Attack identifies that behind these efforts there is an alliance between the Catholic Church and the most important factions of the Evangelical Church For centuries, these institutions were rival, but they have become allies to attain political power and once in power, limit women’s rights.