Colombia President posts video showing body bags of guerrillas

Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella posted a video on Thursday showing himself walking past rows of white body bags that he said contained the remains of 23 guerrillas his administration had “neutralised.” The footage, shared on the president’s official social‑media account, was presented as evidence that his government is carrying out the “all‑out war” against illegal armed groups that he pledged to launch after taking office last month. Officials accompanying the president did not provide independent verification of the bodies or the identities of the individuals depicted.

The video has sparked condemnation from human‑rights organizations, opposition politicians and international observers, who describe the display as a provocative act that inflames tensions and raises concerns about due‑process violations. De La Espriella’s hard‑line approach follows a broader trend of populist leaders in the region employing aggressive rhetoric and symbolic gestures to signal toughness on security issues. The administration has not yet released a detailed report on the operation, and calls for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the alleged killings continue to grow.