1. El puñal en la garganta del opresor. Intelectuales y violencia política en la Colombia actual.
- Author
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VANEGAS USECHE, ISIDRO
- Subjects
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WAR , *POLITICAL violence , *LEGITIMACY of governments , *ARMED Forces , *DIGNITY , *ASSASSINATION , *CRUELTY - Abstract
The article "The Dagger in the Oppressor's Throat: Intellectuals and Political Violence in Present-Day Colombia" analyzes the role of progressive intellectuals in Colombia and their relationship with political violence from 1985 to the present. It highlights that, although there has been a decrease in the defense of violence as a creator of a new order, there has not been an absolute rejection of it. The case of Eduardo Pizarro is mentioned, who praised the FARC in a book and omitted their cruelties. It emphasizes that progressive intellectuals seek profound changes in society and consider the national past to have been a failure. The denunciations of journalists and academics regarding violence and acts of cruelty committed in Colombia are also mentioned, such as the assassination of militants and leaders of the Patriotic Union, forced disappearances, and the killings of civilians by the Armed Forces. The Colombian state is criticized for its violence, and it is argued that the fight against the guerrillas was a choice of the state, not a legal imperative. Progressive intellectuals question the legitimacy of the state and consider both the state and the guerrillas to have the same status of power. The article also analyzes the stance of Colombian intellectuals towards the armed conflict and the guerrillas in the country, highlighting that many considered the guerrillas to have a higher legitimacy than the state and advocated for negotiations with them. However, the validity of this stance is questioned, and it is pointed out that some intellectuals did not completely repudiate revolutionary violence. Additionally, it is mentioned that the public letter from some intellectuals in 1992, in which they expressed their rejection of armed struggle, was not entirely clear or self-critical. Throughout the decades, few intellectuals completely rejected political violence, although there were criticisms of the guerrillas for their disastrous results and limited vision. However, in the last thirty years, there has been an increasing number of advocates for revolutionary violence who see in it the potential to democratize the country and overcome the current order. Some intellectuals even justify or promote violence as a response to injustice, poverty, or inequality. In general, it is concluded that there has not been a widespread rejection of political violence by progressive intellectuals in the last thirty years. The article also analyzes the perception of the guerrillas in Colombia by progressive intellectuals, highlighting that despite the crimes committed by the guerrillas and their lack of popular support, intellectuals maintained an idealized view of these organizations, considering them defenders of noble ideals. The figure of Camilo Torres is also highlighted as a champion of peace and justice, despite his involvement in violent acts. Additionally, the fascination of some Colombian intellectuals with figures like Che Guevara and Fidel Castro is mentioned, despite the miseries and sufferings caused by the Cuban Revolution. The article presents different perspectives of Colombian intellectuals on the FARC and revolutionary violence in Colombia, highlighting that many rejected revolutionary violence in the 1990s but not violence itself. Some argued that the FARC sought reforms through armed struggle, while others considered them enemies of human dignity. Although the FARC no longer represents society, some intellectuals still justify insurgent violence as a means to achieve necessary changes. The article is based on different authors and secondary sources and can be found in the journal Historia Caribe, volume XVII, number 40, published in January-June 2022. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2022
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