Colombian History
Through the Eyes and Words
​of Gabriel Garcia Marquez
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Introduction
​
Gabriel García Márquez, the Nobel laureate and master of magical realism, was not only a literary giant but also an incisive journalist whose work chronicled the tumultuous history of Colombia. Through his novels, García Márquez captured the essence of Latin America's spirit, blending the mystical with the mundane to create worlds that are both fantastical and profoundly real. Yet, it is in his journalism where his deep understanding of Colombia's political, social, and cultural struggles is most vividly expressed.
This exploration of Colombia's history uses García Márquez's journalistic insights alongside his literary voice to provide a nuanced, richly textured narrative of the nation's journey—from the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors to the signing of the peace agreement with the FARC in 2016. Through these combined perspectives, we gain not only a factual account of Colombia's past but also an emotional and philosophical reflection on the events that have shaped its present.

​The Arrival of the Conquistadors (1500s)

Journalistic Reference:
While García Márquez did not cover the arrival of the Spanish in his journalism, he often reflected on the long shadow of colonialism in Latin America. In his journalistic essays, particularly in “The Fragrance of Guava” (1982), an extended interview with Plinio Apuleyo Mendoza, he discusses the impact of European colonization on indigenous cultures and the creation of a mestizo identity that defines much of Latin America today.

Literary Reference:
"The world was so recent that many things lacked names, and in order to indicate them it was necessary to point."
— One Hundred Years of Solitude

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The Fight for Independence (1808-1819)

Journalistic Reference:
In his article “Latin America: The Spectre of Bolívar” published in The New York Times (1983), García Márquez delves into Simón Bolívar’s legacy. He describes Bolívar as a visionary who was ultimately disillusioned by the fragmented political landscape that emerged after independence. García Márquez wrote:
"Bolívar’s dream of a unified Latin America was shattered by the realities of geography, racial divides, and colonial legacies, leaving behind nations plagued by internal strife and external manipulation."

Literary Reference:
"The search for lost things is hindered by routine habits and that is why it is so difficult to find them."
— Chronicle of a Death Foretold
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The Thousand Days' War (1899-1902)

Journalistic Reference:
García Márquez explored the impact of the Thousand Days' War in several of his journalistic writings, including articles in El Espectador. In a 1950 article titled "The War of a Thousand Days," he writes:
"The war was not just a conflict between two political parties; it was a war of desperation fought by a people who had been pushed to the edge. The aftermath of this war left Colombia scarred, a country still struggling to heal from the wounds inflicted by its own sons."

Literary Reference:
"It is easier to start a war than to end it."
— One Hundred Years of Solitude
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​
The Banana Massacre (1928)

Journalistic Reference:
In his 1959 article for Cromos titled "The Tragedy of Ciénaga," García Márquez directly addresses the Banana Massacre. He wrote:
"What happened in Ciénaga was not a mere clash between workers and the company; it was a massacre of the innocent, orchestrated by the government to protect foreign interests. The bodies of those who died were never found, swallowed by the earth and forgotten by a country too afraid to remember."

Literary Reference:
"It was as if God had decided to put to the test every capacity for astonishment."
— One Hundred Years of Solitude

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The Assassination of Jorge Eliécer Gaitán (1948) and La Violencia

Journalistic Reference:
In his article "The Death of Gaitán" (published in El Espectador in 1950), García Márquez reflects on the impact of Gaitán's assassination:
"The murder of Gaitán was not just the killing of a man; it was the assassination of a nation's hopes. The violence that followed was the manifestation of a deep-seated anger and frustration that had been brewing for years, and its flames would burn for a decade, leaving nothing but ashes in their wake."

Literary Reference:
"We have to hurry, or we’ll never finish finding our way out of this labyrinth of confusion."
— The General in His Labyrinth

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​
Fidel Castro and the Cuban Revolution (1950s-1960s)

Journalistic Reference:
García Márquez was a close observer of Fidel Castro and the Cuban Revolution, writing extensively about it in his journalism. In his 1975 article "Cuba de Fidel," published in Alternativa, he writes:
"Fidel Castro was not just a revolutionary leader; he was a force of nature. The Cuban Revolution was a beacon of hope for the oppressed, a symbol that change was possible. But like all revolutions, it came with its own set of contradictions, and navigating those would prove to be Castro’s greatest challenge."

Literary Reference:
"The world must be all fucked up," he said then, "when men travel first class and literature goes as freight."
— One Hundred Years of Solitude

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The Rise of Guerrillas (1964-2016)

Journalistic Reference:
In his 1982 article “The Guerrillas of Colombia,” published in Proceso, García Márquez discusses the origins and motivations of the guerrilla movements:
"The guerrillas did not rise from a desire for power, but from a deep-seated need for justice in a country where the poor were invisible. The mountains became their refuge, not just from the government, but from a society that had abandoned them. Yet, as the years passed, the lines blurred, and what began as a fight for justice became an endless cycle of violence."

Literary Reference:
"What matters in life is not what happens to you but what you remember and how you remember it."
— Living to Tell the Tale

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The Drug Wars (1980s-1990s)

Journalistic Reference:
García Márquez wrote extensively about the impact of the drug wars in Colombia, particularly in his article “The Invisible War” published in Cambio in 1999:
"The drug trade in Colombia was not just a criminal enterprise; it was a parallel state. The cartels operated with impunity, their power so great that they dictated terms to the government. The violence they unleashed was a war in itself, a war that claimed the lives of thousands and left the nation questioning its very soul."

Literary Reference:
"No medicine cures what happiness cannot."
— Of Love and Other Demons

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The Search for Peace (2000s-Present)

Journalistic Reference:
In a 2000 article for Cambio titled "The Long Road to Peace," García Márquez wrote about the peace process with the FARC:
"Peace in Colombia has always been an elusive dream, something spoken of in hushed tones but never truly believed. The talks with the FARC were a step forward, but peace is not just the absence of war; it is the presence of justice, of equality, of a society that values all its citizens. That is the real challenge that lies ahead."

Literary Reference:
"The heart's memory eliminates the bad and magnifies the good."
— Love in the Time of Cholera

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Conclusion
​
Gabriel García Márquez’s dual role as a novelist and journalist offers a profound lens through which to view the history of Colombia. His journalistic work grounds the narrative in the harsh realities of political turmoil, violence, and social strife, while his literary voice elevates these events into the realm of the universal and the mythical.
By intertwining these two perspectives, we gain a deeper understanding not only of Colombia's history but also of the human condition—a history marked by cycles of hope and despair, of dreams deferred but never entirely forgotten. Through García Márquez’s words, Colombia’s past comes alive, resonating with the complexities and contradictions that define a nation still in search of its identity and peace.