Dancing in a Cemetery: Stories from Colombia

Colombia has been mired in political violence since its independence over two centuries ago from Spain. In mid-20th century, the Pentagon and the CIA got involved in Latin America, particularly in Colombia, and aggravated the violence by fomenting sabotage and terrorism against groups they considered communists. Colombia's most recent bout of fratricidal fighting started in 1964. It pitched Marxist insurgencies, principally the FARC and the ELN, against the armed forces and their paramilitary proxies sponsored by large landowners, cattle ranchers, drug cartels, and corrupt politicians. All parties have been responsible for acts which have left some 220,000 dead, uprooted more than six million peasants, usurped millions of hectares of rural land, littered the countryside with anti-personnel mines, and produced thousands more victims of torture, kidnappings, extortion, and sexual violence. Despite the long-running 'dirty war' and billions of dollars in US military assistance, the Colombian government has not achieved a decisive victory against the guerrillas. A negotiated peace, though it faced numerous hurdles, was the only out.

'Dancing in a Cemetery' follows a young woman across the hidden Colombia which she, like most city dwellers, did not know existed. She discovers a land of beauty, kindness, and wisdom, and of violence, criminality and rampant corruption where powerful geopolitical forces are at play. Gritty stories interlace real characters and events with fictional ones to reveal the complexities of Colombia, the brutality of its many conflicts, and ultimately the human capacity for survival in the face of adversity.

As the country inched toward a peace agreement, the protagonist discovers herself only to realize that her fate is sealed.


AUTHOR:

The author moved to Canada with his family when he was 17. His career in law-enforcement and criminal intelligence with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police spanned over thirty years in Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean. He worked primarily in the areas of international drug trafficking, money-laundering, and National Security.


COVER:

Colombian artist Carlos Cepeda painted the cover immediately after hearing a news report of a guerrilla attack which had claimed several civilian lives.