Key facts
- Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella posted a video on social media showing 23 "neutralised" guerrillas in body bags.
- De La Espriella stated his commitment to confronting terrorism and defeating "murderers, extortionists, and child recruiters".
- The video was set to a dramatic score and was condemned by human rights activists and political opponents.
- Critics accused the president of "necropolitics", lacking humanity, and turning death into a trophy.
- De La Espriella defended his actions, stating his role is to send terrorists to meet God.
- The incident is seen as part of a broader trend of rightwing populist leaders using performative crackdowns on crime.
Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella has sparked outrage after posting a social media video that he claimed showed the corpses of 23 "neutralised" guerrillas in body bags. De La Espriella, who took office last month with a promise of "all-out war" against illegal armed groups, published the footage on Thursday, stating, "I promised to confront terrorism without hesitation and I’m keeping that promise."
"I did not come to play nice with murderers, extortionists, and child recruiters. I came to defeat them," the far-right politician wrote above the video, which was set to a dramatic score. He celebrated the military operation in the Colombian Amazon where the alleged "terrorists" were killed, declaring, "We are utterly determined to destroy you, who are a cancer."
The body bag footage was widely condemned by human rights activists and political opponents. Iván Cepeda, who lost to De La Espriella in the June election, wrote on X that the president "strolls among the bags with the corpses" with "contempt" and lacks "the slightest sense of humanity." Lawmaker Daniel Monroy accused the president of "necropolitics" and staging an "unnecessary spectacle." Former President Gustavo Petro tweeted that the act was "turning death into a trophy – something only soulless people can do."
De La Espriella retaliated against critics, posting, "Forgiving terrorists is God’s business. Sending them to meet him – if that’s where they’re headed – is the president’s job." The incident highlights a trend of bellicose and performative politics among rightwing populists in the Americas, who often use "TikTokable" crackdowns on crime to appeal to voters. Examples include El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele and US President Donald Trump, as well as Brazilian political figures like Renan Santos and Flávio Bolsonaro, who have made similar vows of violence against criminals.