Filming amongst body bags: New Colombian president’s comms campaign sparks backlash
Summary
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has posted videos showing security operations against armed groups, including footage of himself speaking beside body bags. The videos have drawn criticism from the country’s ombudsman, who said displaying the dead as a backdrop should not become state practice.Key Facts
- De la Espriella took office in early August 2026.
- On September 2, he posted a video beside 23 body bags after a security operation against a faction that split from the former FARC guerrilla group.
- In that video, he said 23 people described as terrorists had been killed and vowed to defeat the group.
- Two days later, he posted another video beside four body bags and praised the death of an ACSN leader.
- The second video had received about two million views and was pinned to his X profile, according to the article.
- People’s Defender Iris Marin Ortiz criticized the videos on September 6, saying the state should not use the dead as the backdrop for public statements.
- De la Espriella campaigned on a hardline approach to armed groups, contrasting it with the previous government’s policy of seeking dialogue, known as “total peace.”
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