Javier Giraldo, a Colombian priest and human rights activist, died on August 25, 2026, at the age of 82. Giraldo's work spanned decades, leaving a lasting impact on the fight for human rights in Colombia. Giraldo's concern for human rights took shape in a poor neighborhood of Bogotá, where he began his priestly work.
His influence came from Camilo Torres Restrepo, a fellow priest and advocate for social justice. This exposure to the struggles of the poor and marginalized community set the tone for Giraldo's future work in human rights.