Colombia's President Faces Backlash Over Dramatic Security Videos

Since assuming office in August, Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has used social media to promote his administration's hardline approach to security. The far-right leader has shared numerous videos showcasing operations against armed groups, often featuring dramatic imagery that has sparked a wave of public and institutional criticism.

In early September, the president posted a video from a room containing 23 body bags. He announced the death of 23 members of a dissident faction from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. In the clip, he described the group as a cancer and declared the government's determination to finish them was absolute. The video has since garnered nearly half a million views.

Two days later, he published a second video showing four body bags. This time, he celebrated the killing of a leader from the Conquering Self-Defence Forces of the Sierra Nevada, or ACSN. He stated that criminals who do not submit will end up in body bags, arguing that the government's peace is achieved through armed force. Pinned to his X profile, this clip has received two million views.

Critics argue that this communication style dehumanizes the dead. Iris Marin Ortiz, the People's Defender, noted that while Colombia has a history of armed conflict, it is unusual for a president to walk among the dead and take pride in it. She warned that the state should not use the language of domination and terror typically employed by armed actors.

Juana Cabezas of the Institute for Development and Peace Studies, or Indepaz, added that displaying bodies legitimizes the violence against them. The controversy led to legal action, with a Bogota tribunal temporarily ordering the removal of the videos from the president's official Instagram account in September.

The president has continued to share similar content. On October 25, he posted footage from an operation against the National Liberation Army, or ELN. He has also shared images of prisoners with uncovered faces and bound wrists and ankles. These visuals have been compared to those shared by El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele during his war on gangs, which has drawn its own share of human rights criticism.

Beyond the imagery, the results of the security campaign are under scrutiny. Since September, there have been reports of false positives, a term used in Colombia for the extrajudicial killing of civilians who are then presented as guerrillas. The death of 18-year-old Ricardo Andrés Rodriguez Martinez on September 21 highlighted this issue. His family stated he was a day labourer, not a fighter, and his mother publicly condemned the president for the unjust death.

The Ministry of Defence said that forensic experts and the General Prosecutor would establish the facts of the case. The People's Defender called for a rigorous investigation and is assisting the family. Two other cases of alleged false positives were reported in recent weeks, involving victims killed in September and October.

The United Nations also criticized the administration in mid-October, noting that the 2027 budget prioritizes security while cutting funds for rural development and the reintegration of former combatants. Cabezas from Indepaz argued that military actions without institutional support for education and health are ephemeral. She stated that the president's focus on results is largely rhetoric aligned with his vision of government.

The Office of the President of Colombia did not respond to questions regarding the criticism of the communication strategy and the ongoing investigations into civilian deaths.