BOGOTÁ — 1984 · Murder
The Assassination of Justice Minister Rodrigo Lara Bonilla
Appointed Colombia's Minister of Justice in August 1983, Rodrigo Lara Bonilla launched a tough campaign against cocaine traffickers, especially the Medellín Cartel; he openly targeted the infiltration of drug money into politics and football clubs and ordered the seizure of hundreds of the cartel's aircraft. On the evening of 30 April 1984, as he was driven home along 127th Street in northern Bogotá, he was shot dead by hired gunmen who pulled alongside on a motorcycle. The assassination shocked Colombia; the government immediately approved extradition of traffickers to the United States and declared open war on organised crime. The killing is regarded as the start of the cartel's long and bloody conflict with the state.
- Date
- 1984
- Place
- Usaquén, Colombia, Bogotá, CO
- Category
- Murder
- Case Status
- Closed
- Coordinates
- 4.7020, -74.0400 ↗
Timeline of Events
- August 1983Lara Bonilla was appointed Minister of Justice.
- 1983-1984He ordered the seizure of hundreds of cartel aircraft.
- 30 April 1984He was killed by gunmen on a motorcycle on 127th Street.
- May 1984The government approved extradition to the US and declared war on the cartels.
Sources
- The New York Times — Justice Minister Slain in Bogotá nytimes.com ↗
- El Espectador — La memoria de Rodrigo Lara elespectador.com ↗
- Wikipedia — Rodrigo Lara Bonilla en.wikipedia.org ↗
- The New York Times
- El Espectador
- Wikipedia
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.