Camilo Torres: The guerrilla priest (+Natalicio)

Published at: 03/02/2024 08:30 AM

On February 3, 1929, Camilo Torres Restrepo was born in Colombia, better known as the “Guerrilla Priest” for his Marxist and Christian convictions in defense of justice.

He was the chaplain of the National University of Colombia, did social work in marginalized places in the South American country, co-founder of the first Faculty of Sociology in Latin America, and is considered to be the pioneer of Liberation Theology.

“The duty of every Christian is to be revolutionary, and that of the revolutionary to make the revolution (...) when the people decide to fight to the end there will be no power that can be superior to the power of that people who want their freedom,” Restrepo once said.

As a member of the National Liberation Army (ELN), he spent only four months in arms and actively participated in the defense of the social struggle.

“The Revolution, therefore, is the way to achieve a government that feeds the hungry, that dresses the naked, that teaches those who do not know, that performs works of charity, of love of neighbor, not only on an occasional and temporary basis, not only for a few, but for the majority of our neighbors. That is why the Revolution is not only allowed but mandatory for Christians to see in it the only effective and comprehensive way to realize love for all,” said Camilo, on August 3, 1965.

On February 15, 1966, he was assassinated in Santander, Colombia.

Mazo News Team