EL BOGOTAZO

The Bogotazo was an episode of violent protests, riots and repression in the center of Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, on April 9, 1948, following the assassination of Jorge Gaitan. It is considered as one of the first urban acts of the era known as La Violencia and is one of the most significant events of the twentieth century in the history of Colombia.

The unrest spread to other cities and regions but with less intensity.

The IX Pan American Conference was in full realization in Bogotá and the main objective of the government of the United States she was to convince the participating countries to perform an agreement to declare communism as an activity outside the law.

This would usher in what later Organization of American States (OAS) call. In parallel, was organizing a Latin American Student Congress formed in response to the Pan American Conference, to protest against US intervention in several Latin. 

The Student Congress was conceived and promoted by a student in Cuba Fidel Castro named Laws, funded by the Argentine Peronist government and summoned students from several Latin American countries, including Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, Venezuela and Cuba. Among students the same Fidel Castro who had come to Bogotá to the March 31 and the other was after.

According to a previous agreement made yesterday in the office of Gaitán between Fidel, other students who accompanied him and Gaitán, a demonstration would end in Bolivar Square in which Gaitán give a speech. Another appointment was set to discuss the issue at 2:00 pm on April 9, but this failed to be performed due to the assassination of liberal leader.

Two suspects had been about 18 or 20 times in the vicinity of the offices Gaitán past noon from mid-March which aroused suspicions Pablo López, the elevator in the building who expressed doubts Secretary of Gaitán.

At 1 pm on April 9, these two individuals were seen again, a taller, thinner and older than the other. They had been in the building door or around prepared for the start of Gaitán. Seeing that Gaitán out one of them (probably the highest) asked a nod to another that showed quite nervous. Leaving Gaitán through the gate of the building turned north to go to lunch with friends who accompanied him, one with him and the other behind. 

At this point the shorter man gave the pass and shot him from behind. The number and frequency of shots varies witness witness, the fact is that a bullet hit him in the neck and two in the body, all mortals. 

The tall man must have gone through the crowd, while the lowest was the withdrawal receding and threatening those who would follow him to the police, Guard Carlos Alberto Jimenez captured, but despite care the police to protect the lynch mob took over. The lynched person was identified as Juan Roa Sierra.