Colombia's hardline president, Abelardo De La Espriella, has provoked outrage after posting a video of himself walking among rows of body bags he says contained the corpses of 23 guerrillas killed as part of his declared war on illegal armed groups, according to the Guardian.
Key facts
- President Abelardo De La Espriella posted a video on social media showing himself among rows of white body bags, according to the Guardian.
- He said the bags contained the corpses of 23 'neutralised' guerrillas.
- De La Espriella took power last month vowing 'all-out war' against illegal armed groups, the Guardian reported.
- The footage was published on Thursday and provoked outrage, according to the Guardian.
Colombia’s president, Abelardo De La Espriella, has provoked outrage after posting a video on social media in which he strides through rows of white body bags that he said contained the corpses of 23 ‘neutralised’ guerrillas, according to the Guardian.
De La Espriella took power last month vowing ‘all-out war’ against illegal armed groups, the Guardian reported. The video, published on Thursday, appeared to be an attempt to demonstrate that he was fulfilling that pledge.
The Guardian described the footage as provoking disgust and framed it as part of what it called a wave of performative populism sweeping the Americas.
Beyond the president’s own claim that the bags held 23 guerrillas killed in operations against illegal armed groups, further independent detail was not provided in the available reporting. It is not yet known how the individuals were killed or whether the operations have been independently verified.
Why it matters
A head of state posing with the bodies of people killed in state operations raises questions about human rights, accountability and the tone of political leadership. The Guardian framed the episode as part of a broader trend of hardline, performative populism across the Americas.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Abelardo De La Espriella?
He is Colombia's hardline president, who took power last month vowing 'all-out war' against illegal armed groups, according to the Guardian.
What did the video show?
It showed De La Espriella striding through rows of white body bags that he said contained the corpses of 23 'neutralised' guerrillas.
When was the video posted?
According to the Guardian, the footage was published on Thursday, September 4, 2026.