Gustavo Moncayo
Encyclopedia
Gustavo Guillermo Moncayo Rincón, popularly known as "El caminante por la paz", (born on November 29, 1952 in Santiago
, Putumayo
) is a Colombia
n teacher who decided to undertake a walk of 1,186 km from his hometown Sandoná
, in the department of Nariño
in the south of Colombia to the capital city Bogotá
, seeking to promote an agreement for the release of his son Pablo Emilio who was a prisoner of the guerrilla group FARC since 1997.
On June 17, 2007, which is Father's Day
in Colombia, Moncayo began walking from Sandoná, accompanied by his daughter along the Pan-American Highway
, stopping in every town he found on his path to have a rest and to collect signatures for a petition to President Álvaro Uribe
to conduct a prisoner exchange.
A few days after, his body started to show signs of fatigue; his and his daughter's feet had to be treated for blisters resulting from the enormous effort.
As he approached the city of Popayán
, his walk started to be covered by the media and his name became increasingly known by Colombian public opinion.
When he arrived in the city of Cali
, he was received by Governor Angelino Garzon
who offered him a place to stay. Days after, when he arrived in Pereira
he was received by the mayor of the city who decorated him a “citizen of honour”. He crossed the highest pass of the Andes
before arriving in the city of Ibague
.
On Wednesday August 1, 2007 Moncayo walked the last stretch to the historic downtown of the capital city and when he arrived in the Plaza de Bolívar
he was cheered by thousands of people.
After the speeches Moncayo expressed:
He also criticized Uribe for making empty offers to the guerrilla in exchange for the captives.
Interior Minister, criticized Moncayo in an opinion column for the regional Colombian newspaper El País
. He accused Moncayo's son Pablo Emilio and the other soldiers defending Patascoy of being incompetent during the attack and wrote that his father was spreading "Marxist venom through Colombia's veins".
Senator Piedad Córdoba
as a humanitarian gesture. He was released on March 30, 2010.
Santiago, Putumayo
Santiago is a town and municipality located in the Putumayo Department, Republic of Colombia. It is the birthplace of Inga painter, Carlos Jacanamijoy.-External links:...
, Putumayo
Putumayo Department
Putumayo is a department of Colombia. It is in the south-west of the country, bordering Ecuador and Peru. Its capital is Mocoa.The word putumayo comes from the Quechua language. The verb putuy means "to spring forth" or "to burst out", and mayo is a variant of mayu, meaning river...
) is a Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n teacher who decided to undertake a walk of 1,186 km from his hometown Sandoná
Sandona
-External links:...
, in the department of Nariño
Nariño Department
Nariño is a department of Colombia named after Antonio Nariño. It is in the west of the country, bordering Ecuador and the Pacific Ocean.Its capital is Pasto, other important cities include Tumaco, Ipiales.-Municipalities:# Albán# Aldana# Ancuya...
in the south of Colombia to the capital city Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, seeking to promote an agreement for the release of his son Pablo Emilio who was a prisoner of the guerrilla group FARC since 1997.
Walk from Sandoná to Bogotá
Father's Day
Father's Day is a celebration honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. Many countries celebrate it on the third Sunday of June but it is also celebrated widely on other days...
in Colombia, Moncayo began walking from Sandoná, accompanied by his daughter along the Pan-American Highway
Pan-American Highway
The Pan-American Highway is a network of roads measuring about in total length. Except for an rainforest break, called the Darién Gap, the road links the mainland nations of the Americas in a connected highway system. According to Guinness World Records, the Pan-American Highway is the world's...
, stopping in every town he found on his path to have a rest and to collect signatures for a petition to President Álvaro Uribe
Álvaro Uribe
Alvaro Uribe Vélez was the 58th President of Colombia, from 2002 to 2010. In August 2010 he was appointed Vice-chairman of the UN panel investigating the Gaza flotilla raid....
to conduct a prisoner exchange.
A few days after, his body started to show signs of fatigue; his and his daughter's feet had to be treated for blisters resulting from the enormous effort.
As he approached the city of Popayán
Popayán
Popayán is the capital of the Colombian department of Cauca. It is located in southwestern Colombia between Colombia's Western Mountain Range and Central Mountain Range...
, his walk started to be covered by the media and his name became increasingly known by Colombian public opinion.
When he arrived in the city of Cali
Calì
Calì, also written in English as Cali, is an Italian surname, widespread mainly in the Ionian side of Sicily.For the surname Calì is assumed the origin of the Greek word kalos , or from its Sanskrit root kali, "time."The surname refers to:...
, he was received by Governor Angelino Garzon
Angelino Garzón
Angelino Garzón is the 10th and current Vice President of Colombia, serving under President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón. He was the 69th Governor of Valle del Cauca from 2004 to 2008, and served as the second Minister of Labour and Social Protection under the administration of President Andrés...
who offered him a place to stay. Days after, when he arrived in Pereira
Pereira, Colombia
Pereira is the capital city of the Colombian department of Risaralda. It stands in the center of the western region of the country, located in a small valley that descends from a part of the western Andes mountain chain. Its strategic location in the coffee producing area makes the city an urban...
he was received by the mayor of the city who decorated him a “citizen of honour”. He crossed the highest pass of the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
before arriving in the city of Ibague
Ibagué
Ibagué is the capital of the department of Tolima in Colombia. It is situated 1,285 m above sea level, on the eastern slopes of the Cordillera Central between the Chipalo and Combeima rivers, tributaries of the Coello River...
.
On Wednesday August 1, 2007 Moncayo walked the last stretch to the historic downtown of the capital city and when he arrived in the Plaza de Bolívar
Bolívar Square
The Bolívar Square is located in the heart of the historical area of Bogotá. It has a statue of Simón Bolívar sculpted in 1846 by the Italian Pietro Tenerani, which was the first ever public monument in the city...
he was cheered by thousands of people.
Uribe meets Moncayo
The arrival of Gustavo Moncayo at the Plaza de Bolívar led to a public exchange of views between him and President Uribe, who placed the blame and responsibility for the long captivity of the prisoners on the FARC guerrilla group.After the speeches Moncayo expressed:
He also criticized Uribe for making empty offers to the guerrilla in exchange for the captives.
Criticism
Fernando Londoño, a former conservativeColombian Conservative Party
The Colombian Conservative Party , is a conservative political party in Colombia. The party was unofficially founded by a group of Revolutionary Commoners during the Revolutionary War for Independence from the Spanish Monarchy and later formally established during the Greater Colombia...
Interior Minister, criticized Moncayo in an opinion column for the regional Colombian newspaper El País
El País (Cali)
El País is the leading newspaper company in the Pacific region of Colombia. Its headquarters are located in Cali. The corporation is owned by the Lloreda family of Cali which happens to be one of the most traditional families of the Pacific region of Colombia.El País is part of Periódicos...
. He accused Moncayo's son Pablo Emilio and the other soldiers defending Patascoy of being incompetent during the attack and wrote that his father was spreading "Marxist venom through Colombia's veins".
Pablo Moncayo liberation
On April 16, 2009, The FARC announced that they intend to release Pablo to his father and liberalColombian Liberal Party
The Colombian Liberal Party is a center-left party in Colombia that adheres to social democracy and social liberalism.The Party was founded in 1848 and, together with the Colombian Conservative Party, subsequently became one of the two main political forces in the country for over a century.After...
Senator Piedad Córdoba
Piedad Córdoba
Piedad Esneda Córdoba Ruiz , better known by her nom de guerre Teodora de Bolívar or Gaitán is a former Liberal Senator of Colombia who served for four terms from 1994 to 2010, and a former Member of the Chamber of Representatives of Colombia...
as a humanitarian gesture. He was released on March 30, 2010.