Those who experienced the event and their families told how their lives are going 40 years later.
Within the framework of the commemoration of the 40 years since the seizure and retaking of the Palace of Justicewhich occurred in 1985, the Bogotá Mayor’s Office presented this Friday a new plate in honor of the families of the victims of the Holocaust.
The unveiling of the plaque, which takes place 21 days after the commemorative dateresponds to a precautionary measure ordered by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP). This recognition contributes to the memory preservation of the events related to the tragedy at the Palace of Justice.
The court order arose after several victims reported that the previous plate, installed by the district administration, “It only represented the actions of the public force“and did not properly honor the memory of those who perished in the midst of the flames.
In this sense, the District installed the new platewhich allows family members and survivors of the takeover and retaking to tell, in their own words, what happened 40 years ago and honor the memory of their loved ones.
Present at the event were the High Counselor for Victims, Isabellita Mercado; relatives of the disappeared, and the former magistrate Carlos Ramiro Borjawho managed to escape from the building alive in 1985, when he was serving as State Councilor.
Voices of Memory
Former magistrate Borja stressed the importance of the act: “The preservation of memory for new generations is what drives them to be better every day. This recognition is essential for history to be known and all its positive aspects to be highlighted.” In addition, he added: “Those of us who survived that Holocaust have been able to continue serving our country“.
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Among the victims’ relatives was Ines Castiblancosister of Ana Rosa Castiblancowho died in the Holocaust while serving in the Palace cafeteria.
Inés Castiblanco recounted what it was like to live forty Christmases without her sister and expressed her hope: “For me it has been 40 years of my life that I have led in this fight. We hope that with this plaque the testimonies that happened inside the Palace of Justice will be made more visible, and I believe that it is a visible point where many people will be able to read and see what happened“.
Source: Integrated Information System
