Gustavo Moncayo

Gustavo Guillermo Moncayo Rincón (29 November 1952 – 15 November 2022), Perfil del caminante por la paz
FECODE Accessed 25 August 2007. popularly known as El caminante por la paz (Spanish for the Walker for Peace), was a Colombian teacher who in 2007 walked 1,186 km from his hometown Sandoná, in the department of Nariño in the south of Colombia to the capital city Bogotá, seeking to promote an agreement for the release of his son Pablo Emilio who had been a prisoner of the guerrilla group FARC since 1997. Entregan pruebas de supervivencia de militares secuestrados
''El País'' Accessed 25 August 2007.

Walk from Sandoná to Bogotá

On 17 June 2007, which is Father's Day in Colombia, Moncayo, accompanied by his daughter, began walking from Sandoná La del profesor Moncayo, Una locura de travesía
'' El Diario del Sur'' Accessed 25 August 2007. along the Pan-American Highway, stopping in every town he found on his path, to rest and to collect signatures on a petition asking President Álvaro Uribe to free his son, and other hostages held by the FARC, through a prisoner-exchange. Alcaldía de Bogotá avala decisión del profesor Moncayo
''El Espectador'' Accessed 25 August 2007.

After few days, his body started to show signs of fatigue; his and his daughter's feet had to be treated for blisters resulting from the enormous effort. Padre del soldado Moncayo reinicia su peregrinación pese al agotamiento físico
Caracol Radio Accessed 25 August 2007.

As Moncayo approached the city of Popayán, his walk started to be covered by the media, and his name became increasingly well-known to the Colombian public.

When he arrived in the city of Cali, Moncayo was received by Governor Angelino Garzón who offered him a place to stay. Days later, when he arrived in Pereira, he was received by the mayor of that city, who decorated him a "''citizen of honour''". He crossed the highest pass of the Andes before arriving in the city of Ibagué. 46 días de travesía
CM& Accessed 25 August 2007.

On Wednesday, 1 August 2007, Moncayo walked the last stretch of his journey, to the historic downtown of the capital city, and arrived in Bolívar Square, cheered on by thousands of people. Caminante por la paz llega a Bogotá
BBC
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