A 60-year Mystery Ends As Colombian Officials Identify The Remains Of Guerrilla Priest Camilo Torres

BOGOTA, Colombia — The remains of a well-known Colombian leader who joined a guerrilla group and was killed successful combat six decades agone person been identified, officials successful Bogota said Monday.

The Unit for nan Search of Missing People said successful a news convention that aft conducting galore forensic and familial tests, and sifting done humanities documents, it was capable to corroborate that bones recovered 2 years agone belonged to Camilo Torres, a Roman Catholic leader killed successful a firefight pinch Colombia’s service successful February 1966. The bones were recovered astatine a cemetery successful nan metropolis of Bucaramanga.

“Finding Camilo aft he was vanished for 60 years is simply a milestone,” said Luz Janeth Forero, nan head of nan missing people’s unit. “It shows america that group whose relatives person been missing for a agelong clip should not suffer hope, because we person nan method and investigative capabilities to respond to their queries.”

Torres was calved successful 1929 to a able family successful Bogota, and was ordained a leader successful nan 1950s. He helped to found nan module of sociology astatine Bogota’s National University and became a starring professional of a pact that kept Colombia’s accepted governmental parties successful power. He besides advocated for doctrines that called connected nan Catholic religion to thief alteration societal and economical structures that oppressed nan poor.

In precocious 1965, aft facing threats from authorities and becoming disillusioned pinch Colombia’s governmental system, Torres joined nan National Liberation Army, a rebel group that still exists.

Torres lasted only a fewer months successful nan rebel ranks. The leader was killed successful his first combat engagement astatine nan property of 37, but nan location of his assemblage was kept concealed by Colombia’s government. Soldiers apparently dumped chemicals connected nan assemblage that made it harder to identify.

According to a truth committee created successful 2017 pursuing a bid woody betwixt Colombia’s authorities and nan nation’s largest rebel group, nan FARC, much than 450,000 group were killed successful nan conflict, and astatine slightest 120,000 group person been reported missing.

The assemblage count issued by nan truth committee covers nan play betwixt 1986 and 2016, which is considered to beryllium nan astir aggravated play of fighting betwixt nan state, paramilitary squads, supplier traffickers and respective rebel groups.

Torres’ remains will beryllium housed astatine a chapel successful Bogota’s National University.

The hunt for nan priest’s assemblage intensified successful 2019 aft different priest, Javier Giraldo, petitioned nan Unit for nan Search of Missing People to find Torres’ remains. Since its creation pursuing nan 2016 bid deal, nan agency has helped to place nan remains of hundreds of people.

Torres has a arguable bequest successful Colombia, wherever conservatives person agelong derided his determination to activity governmental alteration done convulsive means. However, nan leader has been praised by progressives for his world achievements and his efforts to assistance nan poor.

Giraldo said Monday that Torres was 1 of nan precursors of nan religion doctrine known arsenic liberation theology.

“Today we person a biographical imagination of Father Camilo Torres that is much wholesome,” Giraldo said during Monday’s news conference. “He was not simply a guerrilla priest.”

Rueda writes for nan Associated Press.