Colombia Marks 40th Anniversary of Palace of Justice Siege.

3 hours ago7 min read1 comments

Forty years on, the ghosts of the Palace of Justice siege still walk the corridors of Colombian memory, a stark reminder of a nation torn apart. From November 6 to 7, 1985, the heart of Bogotá became a warzone as 35 heavily armed M-19 guerrillas stormed the supreme seat of Colombia's judiciary, taking hundreds hostage, including the president of the Supreme Court, Alfonso Reyes Echandía.What unfolded over 28 hours was not merely a military operation but a calculated, brutal assault on the very symbol of state authority, a desperate act by a leftist insurgency seeking to put the government of then-President Belisario Betancur on trial for allegedly reneging on peace promises. The military's ferocious counter-assault, involving tanks and heavy weaponry, resulted in a conflagration that left the building a charred ruin and claimed over a hundred lives, including 11 of the 25 Supreme Court justices.The tragedy, however, extends far beyond the body count. The subsequent 'disappearance' of at least 12 individuals from the palace, including cafeteria workers, amid allegations that the army used the chaos to eliminate suspected guerrillas, plunged the event into deeper controversy, creating a wound that has never fully healed.For decades, families of the disappeared have fought for answers, their quest for truth emblematic of Colombia's long struggle with impunity and transitional justice. This anniversary is not just a date on a calendar; it is a live wire connecting a violent past to a fragile present, forcing a national reckoning with the costs of conflict and the elusive nature of peace, a story of a democracy tested by fire and the enduring search for justice in its ashes.

#Colombia

#Palace of Justice

#M-19

#guerrilla siege

#armed conflict

#anniversary

#lead focus news

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