Mothers Of Soacha: An Example Of Courage

This is the case for the mothers of Soacha, a city very close to Bogotá, capital of Colombia. This place has been the scene of complex difficulties of all kinds. One of the most serious events that took place in this place was the so-called “false positives”. It is a crime that takes place when military forces kill civilians to make them look like criminals and gain benefits for doing so.

In Soacha, nine confirmed cases of false positives were presented. Although the total number of victims of this crime is over 3000, in Soacha they had a much greater impact. This is because the victims’ mothers organized themselves, taking as their model the “Mothers of Plaza de Mayo” in Argentina, and started a struggle that has not ended yet.

These women were dubbed the “Mães de Soacha” by the press. They are also called “Mães de Outubro”, because it was in this month that the group began to form and take its first steps. Their fight led to a crusade of denunciations across the world. Their work has been recognized with several international awards.

One of Soacha’s impressive cases

One of the most paradigmatic cases of false positives in Soacha is that of Fair Leonardo Porras. He was 25 years old and had a cognitive impairment of more than 53%. He lived in a humble house, like most people in Soacha. I did odd jobs in simple businesses, mainly in construction. He was also recognized as a supportive person who collaborated with everyone in exchange for a few coins.

One day, Fair never came home again. His family began a frantic search of hospitals, prisons, hospices and even the morgue. However, they have not found his whereabouts. Months later, his corpse turned up in Ocaña, a town more than 600 kilometers away. They were told that he died in combat as he was, clandestinely, the head of an armed guerrilla command.

When his relatives went to collect the body, they found major inconsistencies. For example, his body was supposed to have been found with a gun in his right hand. The young man was not mobile in that hand and there were certificates to prove it. Also, obviously, it was not logical for a person with cognitive disabilities to lead an armed group.

Soacha’s mothers who became heroes

It was Luz Marina Bernal, the mother of Fair Leonardo, who started the fight to clarify the facts in a determined way. The president of Colombia at the time, Álvaro Uribe, insinuated that both this young man and the other eight young men from Soacha who were found in the same circumstances were criminals. That’s why Soacha’s mothers also set themselves the goal of claiming the good name of their dead children.

Thanks to the help of Soacha prison officials and police officers, they were able to bring those responsible to justice. Mrs. Luz Marina discovered that her son had been “sold” for less than $100 to some members of the army. They tricked him and that’s how they made him travel. Later, they murdered him in the back and called him “death in combat.” They got permissions and money for their “good performance”.

Mothers of Soacha by Carlos Julio Martinez / WEEK

With great courage, Luz Marina Bernal and the other mothers of Soacha faced several death threats.  They demanded that they drop their grievances and stop their acts of pressure for justice. After more than five years, the murder of Fair Leonardo Porras was declared as “against humanity”. That means it offends all of humanity. Those responsible for material were sentenced to more than 50 years in prison. However, the intellectual authors are still unknown.

Soacha’s mothers presented their tragedy in a play and in various artistic manifestations. They are called “The Antigones” and have become an example of courage and endurance. Like their analogues in Argentina, they decided not to remain silent in the face of arbitrariness. They have proven that female strength is capable of winning even in the most difficult and atrocious scenarios.