The death of Francisco Leal Buitrago confronts us with the reality of Colombian violence. His extensive work, which emphasized national politics and, within this, national security policies in a broad context—one that includes the Latin American region and global power conflicts—serves as a testament to our never-ending tragedy. A man of the 20th century, in his personal life and in the lives of Colombians of his generation, he bore the mark of the deepest and most prolonged crisis that Colombian society has ever endured. So deep and prolonged that its end is not in sight.
I shared with him a closeness to the issues of the national conflict. Our approaches to the phenomena were different: his interest transcended the vast political landscape where he integrated his extensive and meticulous work concerning national reality. My own, more modest in bibliographic production, focused on the phenomenon of war. In the conversation of a lifetime, it became clear that we did not strictly fit into what a Colombian trend called “violentology.” Francisco delved into the intricacies of the political system, into power relations, and into critical issues for Colombia such as clientelism and the reality of political parties. I, less disciplined and more dispersed in my work and topics, ended up ensnared in theories of war.
His vocation as a researcher was admirable. His dedication to work made him a kind of transfuge of national culture. His life was academia, and he made no concessions in that regard. To keep his intellectual freedom intact, he avoided belonging to factions, parties, and sects. He was not tempted by positions or honors. He did not wander in endless searches for a vital niche for his activities: the University was his stage, and he dedicated himself to it with care and devotion. In more than one of our conversations, we joked about my diversions in state service, in political parties, and in the temptation of literature, which was never realized. We could not have been more different, but those differences were the foundation of our friendship: different yet compatible.
In our intellectual trajectories, there was a moment of convergence when he asked me to write the introduction for the re-edition of his book “The Profession of War” in the collection of his complete works, published by the University of Los Andes. During a phone conversation, I felt a total coincidence in visions and interests. The occasion sparked laughter when it became clear that the doctrine of national security in Latin America was a foundling whose parentage was denied by all suspected parties.
I would have much to say about Pacho. As always, the subjective will be difficult to articulate and will accompany us until the end as uninvested capital. I cherish the friendship that began on February 4, 1963, when we entered the classroom on the first floor of the modest refuge found by the dream of Orlando Fals Borda. Francisco, as a researcher and as a promoter of intellectual adventures, justified that dream.
For Razón Pública, Francisco Leal Buitrago was a valuable and beloved collaborator. In honor of his unmatched legacy, we remember a selection of some of his most outstanding articles. These texts, which provoked important academic debates at the time, remain relevant and focal points for reflection today, both for the quality of their analysis and their lasting impact.