Carlos Toledo Plata

Carlos Francisco Toledo Plata (December 13, 1932 – August 10, 1984) was a Colombian doctor, politician, co-founder and early leader of the guerrilla movement known as M-19, who also laid the basis for the movement's socialist platforms with his Marxist ideologies.[1] He was also a Member of the Colombian Chamber of Representatives for the electoral constituency of Santander and part of the National Popular Alliance party.[2]

Carlos Francisco Toledo Plata
Member of the Colombian Chamber of Representatives
ConstituencySantander
Personal details
Born(1932-12-13)December 13, 1932
Zapatoca, Santander, Colombia
DiedAugust 10, 1984(1984-08-10) (aged 51)
Bucaramanga, Santander, Colombia
Political partyNational Popular Alliance
Alma materUniversity of Buenos Aires
OccupationPolitician, rebel fighter
ProfessionTraumatologist
Military service
Allegiance19th of April Movement
Years of service1970-1982
RankCommander
Battles/warsColombian armed conflict

In 1952 Toledo Plata moved to Argentina to study Traumatology. It was there that he became familiar with Peronism, which influenced his political outlook from then on,[3] and where he trained with the Argentinian leftist group Montoneros.[4]

Capture

After being persecuted by the Colombian Military in an attack that forced his unit to disperse, Toledo then managed to flee to Ecuador with the help of the Spanish reporter María Martín using a fake Spanish passport.[5] Once in Ecuador, he tried to apply for political asylum, but was instead detained and handed over to the Colombian authorities.[6] Once in Colombian custody he was imprisoned in La Picota, Toledo and fellow fighter Álvaro Fayad Delgado, were granted amnesty from the Government of President Belisario Betancur in 1982, and Toledo was able to return to civil life.[7]

Death

He was assassinated on August 10, 1984, in a surprise attack by two men on a motorcycle who met him just outside his home in the early hours of the morning, and shot him five times. The incident caused great tensions in the country, as it happened days before the signing of a Peace Accord between the Government and the M-19. The M-19 alluded the attack to the Military as a revenge killing for an attack on the Military the previous week by the M-19. The Government alluded the attack to other guerrilla groups, and those who were against the Peace Process. In retaliation, the M-19 commanded by Rosemberg Pabón launched a siege on the city on Yumbo, where they burned the office of the Mayor, and tried but failed to capture the police headquarters[8]

Although his death was a grave blow to the accord, the Government and the M-19 agreed to go ahead and sign the treaty, and even accelerated the event to prevent any complications.[9]

References
  1. Ameringer, Charles D. (November 1992). "Colombia". Political parties of the Americas, 1980s to 1990s. The Greenwood historical encyclopedia of the world's political parties (Illustrated ed.). Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 200. ISBN 0-313-27418-5. OCLC 25202496. Retrieved May 26, 2009.
  2. Osterling, Jorge P. (1989). "Chapter 4:The Colombian Political Parties:Their Clientelist Nature". Democracy in Colombia: clientelist politics and guerrilla warfare (Illustrated ed.). New Brunswick, New Jersey: Transaction. pp. 190–191. ISBN 0-88738-229-0. OCLC 18105654. Retrieved May 26, 2009.
  3. Villamizar Herrera, Darío (2007). "Tejiendo la Red". Jaime Bateman: Biografía de un revolucionario (in Spanish). Bogotá: Intermedio Editores. p. 270. ISBN 978-958-709-587-6. OCLC 187306867. Retrieved May 26, 2009.
  4. Pinto Flores, Aquiles (1980). Yo fuí rehén del M-19 (in Spanish). Bogotá: Canal Ramírez-Antares. p. 153. OCLC 7944405. Retrieved May 26, 2009.
  5. Martín, María (August 13, 1984). "Carlos Toledo Plata y señora, ciudadanos españoles" (in Spanish). El País. Retrieved May 26, 2009.
  6. Villamizar Herrera, Darío (September 21, 2008). "En El Oriente Eterno". Solidaridad Masónica (in Spanish). Retrieved 2009-05-27.
  7. "El doctor guerrillero" (in Spanish). Madríd: El País. August 11, 1984. Retrieved May 26, 2009.
  8. "17 muertos en el asalto del M-19 a la ciudad colombiana de Yumbo" (in Spanish). El País. August 13, 1984. Retrieved May 26, 2009.
  9. "Un dirigente del grupo guerrillero colombiano M-19, asesinado en vísperas de la firma de un acuerdo de paz con el Gobierno" (in Spanish). Madríd: El País. August 11, 1984. Retrieved May 26, 2009.
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