On October 16, 2022, journalist Rafael Emiro Moreno was gunned down by two unknown assailants in Montelíbano, northwestern Colombia. Moreno was in a restaurant he owned when perpetrators on a motorcycle shot him. He had prior to his death received threats to his life, dating back to 2019. This led to him having bodyguard protection provided by the National Protection Unit (UNP) to ensure his safety. However, in 2020, the UNP decreased his protection for unknown reasons. After receiving death threats again in July 2022, Moreno asked for further protection. The UNP had not answered his request at the time of his murder.
Moreno was the director of the online media platform Voces de Cordóba, and a well-regarded leader in his community.