Remains of legendary guerrilla priest Torres identified in Colombia 60 years after his death
Kyiv • UNN
Colombia's State Service for the Search for Missing Persons has confirmed the identification of the remains of Camilo Torres Restrepo, a Catholic priest and ideologue of "liberation theology." He died in 1966 and will be reburied on the grounds of the National University of Colombia in Bogotá.
The Colombian State Search Unit for Missing Persons (UBPD) has officially confirmed the identification of the remains of Camilo Torres Restrepo, a Catholic priest and ideologist of "liberation theology" who died in 1966. Reuters reports this, writes UNN.
Details
The search team used secret military archives and DNA expertise, comparing samples of the found bones with the genetic material of the deceased's father. The identification process became an important step in the framework of peaceful settlement and restoration of historical justice for more than 135,000 people who went missing during decades of civil conflict.
The complex path of identification and the role of military archives
Camilo Torres was killed in February 1966 during his first battle as part of the ELN ("National Liberation Army") rebel group. His body was secretly buried by the military in an unmarked grave in a cemetery in Bucaramanga to prevent the creation of a pilgrimage site for his followers. Only through access to classified military justice records and the efforts of forensic experts was it possible to locate the burial site and conduct an exhumation, which ended with the final confirmation of his identity on the eve of the 60th anniversary of his death.
Return to Bogotá and commemoration
In recent days, Torres' remains were handed over to activist priest Javier Giraldo, who represents the interests of the family and those affected by the conflict. It is planned that Camilo Torres will be reburied on the territory of the National University of Colombia in Bogotá, where he once worked as a chaplain and founded the country's first faculty of sociology. This decision was supported by President Gustavo Petro, who called Torres a symbol of the struggle for social justice, who must now find peace in his homeland.
After 60 years of uncertainty, the search team found and identified Father Camilo Torres, providing conditions for his dignified reburial. This is not just a forensic fact, but the completion of a long chapter in our history