What is The Doomsday Cult of Antares de la Luz?
Formed in 2007 under the leadership of Ramón Gustavo Castillo Gaete, the Antares de la Luz was a doomsday-oriented religious sect stationed. The cult was formed after Castillo’s adopted name “Antares de la Luz” which means “Antares of the Light”.
The members of the cult had a shared psychosis when they believed Castillo’s claims, stating that he was the second coming of Jesus. The latest Spanish-language documentary on Netflix titled ‘The Doomsday Cult of Antares de la Luz” features victim testimonies from former members of the cult who narrate harrowing details of the practices of the cult.
What crimes did members of the Antares de la Luz cult commit?
The Netflix documentary details that Antares (Castillo) had sexual relations with multiple women in the cult. In 2012, 25-year-old Natalia Guerra became pregnant with his child. Antares (Castillo) believed that the child Natalia was bearing would be the Antichrist and tried to kill the newborn.
Antares (Castillo) was convinced that killing his newborn would prevent the doomsday – the supposed end of the world on December 21, 2012. Castillo immolated his infant son in a bonfire on 23 November of that year as a human sacrifice.
What happened to the Antares de la Luz cult members?
After the immolation of his child, Antares (Castillo) told his followers that the doomsday was soon going to approach. However, when things did not go as he predicted, his followers started losing faith in Castillo and abandoned the Antares de la Luz cult. The cult was then reported to the authorities by the former members after which the Investigations Police of Chile (Policía de Investigaciones, PDI) began a nationwide manhunt to find Castillo.
Four people, including Natalia, were soon arrested. It was confirmed that Castillo had travelled to Peru. On 2nd May 2013, Castillo’s body was found hanging from a noose in an abandoned house in the Peruvian city of Cusco, an apparent victim of suicide by hanging.
Castillo’s most important follower – Pablo Undurraga – was sentenced to 1 year in prison and placed under home arrest. He was eventually acquitted by insanity. Natalia Guerra, the mother of the immolated infant, remained on the run until 2019. She was arrested and sentenced to five years of prison time before she was released on parole in 2021.
What do you think about the Ramon Gustavo Castillo Gaete case? Have you watched the Netflix documentary? Let us know in the comments below!