An insult, a shot and political chaos that left people dead and injured in the middle of a historic parliamentary session.
News Colombia.
September 8, 1949 will remain engraved in Colombia’s memory as one of the darkest days in the history of its democracy. On the floor of the House of Representatives, what should have been a heated political debate turned into a violent armed confrontation that left two dead, several injured and a deep scar on the country’s parliamentary system.
The political context: a divided nation
At the end of the 40s, Colombia was experiencing one of the most turbulent times in its history. Bipartisan violence between liberals and conservatives had escalated to alarming levels, especially after the assassination of Jorge Eliécer Gaitán in 1948.
In this tense climate, the Liberal Party promoted a bill to advance the presidential elections as a measure to stop the violence.
Read: Jesús Elías, one of the oldest men in the country, died at 118 years old
On September 7, 1949, well after midnight, tempers were running high in Congress. The session, chaired by a young Julio César Turbay Ayala, resumed at 12:05 in the morning.
With liquor present in the premises, as was allowed at the time, and after verbal provocations that overflowed political passions, the atmosphere became explosive.
A fatal insult: from words to bullets
The conservative representative Carlos del Castillo Isaza went up to the podium in the middle of the session and launched a direct provocation to his liberal opponents, urging them to question him “with the manly tone that characterizes the men of Boyacá.”
It was then that the liberal Gustavo Jiménez Jiménez, a young and brilliant politician from Sogamoso, accepted the challenge.
The verbal argument escalated quickly. Jiménez questioned the legitimacy of del Castillo’s surname, stating that his true name was “Castillo Saza”, a comment that attacked the conservative’s family roots.
The response was forceful: «I am a legitimate son, and you are not. React, react! Faced with this affront, Jiménez responded with an even more serious insult: “Lie, you bastard.”
What followed was chaos. Del Castillo pulled out a gun and shot Jiménez, fatally wounding him in the neck. The representatives, both liberal and conservative, broke protocol and drew pistols, unleashing a shootout in the middle of the venue.
More than 50 shots rang out in the National Capitol, also leaving jurist Jorge Soto del Corral seriously injured, who would die days later.
The testimony of a survivor
Víctor Mosquera Chaux, a parliamentarian present at the time, recounted the events in detail to the newspaper. Liberal Action. According to his version, the confrontation was a reflection of the deep polarization of the country.
Although del Castillo was initially identified as directly responsible for Jiménez’s death, Mosquera stated that the fatal wounds could have been caused by another weapon during the confusion.
The perpetrator of the shot that took the life of the young liberal was never identified with certainty.
The legacy of Gustavo Jiménez
Gustavo Jiménez Jiménez, born in Sogamoso on May 5, 1919, was a lawyer from the National University and a promise for the Liberal Party.
His career included roles as a councilor, deputy and representative to the House. His premature death cut short a promising career at a time when the country needed leaders capable of uniting a divided nation.
In his posthumous tribute, Jorge Uribe Márquez expressed:
«When men stand out for their virtues, their intelligence and their character, it is not fair that fate sacrifices them in such a cruel way.«, they remembered media national.
@elboscobosco Shooting in the Congress of the Republic #Colombia #history #interesting #congress ♬ original sound – Hieronymus Bosch
