Colombia's leader sparks outrage after posing with slain 'terrorists'

A political dispute has erupted in Colombia after President Abelardo De La Espriella shared footage on social media showing him walking among white body bags, which he claimed held the remains of 23 “neutralised” guerrillas.

De La Espriella assumed office last month pledging “all-out war” against illegal armed groups. He released the video on Thursday, presenting it as evidence of his commitment to that promise.

“I promised to confront terrorism without hesitation and I’m keeping that promise,” the far-right politician wrote. “I did not come to play nice with murderers, extortionists and child recruiters. I came to defeat them … Long live Christ the king!”

Referencing a military operation in the Colombian Amazon in which the 23 alleged guerrillas were killed, De La Espriella stated: “We are utterly determined to destroy you, who are a cancer.”

The video, accompanied by a dramatic Hollywood-style soundtrack, drew condemnation from human rights advocates and political opponents.

Iván Cepeda, the leftwing candidate defeated by De La Espriella in June’s election, wrote on X: “He strolls among the bags with the corpses. He nearly treads on them with contempt. He calls himself a Christian but in reality he’s an unscrupulous being lacking the slightest sense of humanity.”

Leftwing lawmaker Daniel Monroy accused the president of “necropolitics,” stating: “This is one of the most bizarre things we’ve seen. Strolling among the dead, while invoking the name of God, just to justify an unnecessary spectacle.”

Former president Gustavo Petro tweeted: “This is called turning death into a trophy – something only soulless people can do … The soulless find it easy to kill for the sake of killing.”

De La Espriella responded: “Forgiving terrorists is God’s business. Sending them to meet him – if that’s where they’re headed – is the president’s job.”

The post reflects a confrontational political style gaining traction across the Americas, where rightwing populists are increasingly turning to bold, social media-friendly displays to appeal to voters demanding aggressive action against crime.

This approach has been championed by El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, known for glossy footage of his mega-prison, and Donald Trump, who has repeatedly released videos of alleged drug-trafficking vessels struck in the Caribbean and Pacific.

In advance of Brazil’s October elections, several candidates have proposed lethal operations against drug traffickers in Rio de Janeiro’s favelas. “We’re going to stain the ground red with the blood of these lowlifes,” candidate Renan Santos said, vowing “a bloodbath” if elected.

Flávio Bolsonaro, the leading challenger to leftwing incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has pledged to fight “narco-terrorists,” though he and close allies have faced accusations of links to organised crime. “Criminals will be taken out of circulation, either standing up or lying down,” Bolsonaro has stated.