La Violencia

"La Violencia" was a brutal period of Colombian history, primarily a political feud between the Liberal and Conservative parties. It began in 1946 following the Conservative Party's electoral victory and a series of reprisals against Liberals. The assassination of Liberal leader Jorge Eliécer Gaitán in 1948 sparked widespread riots known as the bogotazo.

This era, lasting until 1964, saw extreme cruelty and resulted in over 200,000 deaths. It intensified under Conservative President Laureano Gómez, who attempted to establish a fascist state, and later saw efforts to end the violence under General Gustavo Rojas Pinilla. The period concluded with the establishment of the National Front, a power-sharing agreement between Liberals and Conservatives.12