On February 4th, 2025, the Young Initiative hosted a talk by Dr. Camilo Umaña Hernández, Colombia's Former Deputy Minister of Justice.
Quote: “Restorative justice is not as concerned with the future—what is going to happen afterward. It brings about a notion of time that integrates not only the present but the future—what societies can become.”
On February 4th, 2025, the Young Initiative hosted a conversation with Dr. Camilo Umaña Hernández about restorative justice, truth and reconciliation, and prison and drug reform in Colombia. Dr. Umaña Hernández is the former deputy minister of Justice in Colombia, and currently is a professor at Brown University and a Graduate research Fellow at Harvard University.
Dr. Umaña Hernández, in conversation with Diplomacy and World Affairs professor Dr. Anthony Chase, discussed his work in reforming the prison system in Colombia during Colombia’s fight against drugs. Dr. Umaña Hernández noted how restorative justice is not necessarily popular, especially considering the harm many paramilitary groups have caused the Colombian people. Particularly, he noted that his father was assassinated by former paramilitary leader, Salvatore Mancuso, and he was in charge of his fate when he was extradited back to Colombia. Mancuso was recently appointed as an agent of peace under the new Colombian government.
Dr. Umaña Hernández further discussed his work in creating a new peace accord in Colombia to combat the ongoing war against drugs. Restorative justice he noted is a “smart way of doing justice”. He discussed the unpopularity of the peace accord and its implementation in the community. Specifically, he cited the rehabilitation of prisoners in Colombia, focusing on less punitive measures. Dr. Umaña Hernández cited success in repairing communities by finding creative ways for Colombian paramilitary soldiers to reconnect with the community.
Dr. Umaña Hernández concluded the conversation, citing art as a powerful tool to rebuild Colombia during the War on Drugs. Music, particularly, has a large impact on Colombian culture and healing the nation. Additionally, cities like Bogotá and Medellín created “memory sites” and a new museum of National Memory is being constructed in Bogota. Dr. Umaña Hernández has hope that Colombia will heal, saying that reconciliation should come from communities, bolstered by the government.