Colombia president provokes disgust by posing with bodies of ‘terrorists’
Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella ignited widespread condemnation after he posted a video of himself walking among rows of white body bags that he claimed contained the corpses of 23 “neutralised” guerrillas. The footage, set to a dramatic musical score, was shared on Thursday with a caption asserting his commitment to an “all‑out war” against illegal armed groups and invoking “Christ the king.” De La Espriella framed the operation in the Colombian Amazon as a decisive strike against what he described as a “cancer” of terrorism.
Human‑rights advocates and political opponents denounced the video as a grotesque celebration of death. Left‑wing candidate Iván Cepeda accused the president of treading on the bodies with contempt and lacking humanity, while former president Gustavo Petro labeled the act “turning death into a trophy” and called it soulless. In response, De La Espriella defended his actions, arguing that forgiving terrorists is a divine matter and that sending them to their fate is the president’s duty, thereby reinforcing his hard‑line stance.
The incident reflects a broader trend of performative, right‑wing populism across the Americas, where leaders use graphic, TikTok‑ready content to signal tough security policies. Similar tactics have been employed by El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele with videos of his mega‑prison, and former U.S. President Donald Trump with footage of drug‑boat raids. In Brazil, candidates ahead of the October elections, including Flávio Bolsonaro and Felipe Curi, are promising lethal crackdowns on drug traffickers, even using AI‑generated videos that depict them shooting armed men, underscoring a regional shift toward sensationalized, violent political messaging.
⚡ Effects Interpreter
🌍World Economy
- ▶Economies far from the headline can still catch the aftershocks.
- ▶Markets around the world might take their cue from how this story unfolds.
🏙️Local Economy
- ▶Prices at your local shops could feel a gentle, indirect squeeze from this.
- ▶Everyday costs in your town could drift as the wider economy reacts.
🏦Rates & Banks
- ▶Banks tend to wait and see before nudging the rates they offer.
- ▶Savers might glance at their account rate — lenders adjust after big events.
❤️Health
- ▶Neighbours and families could feel more anxious until the dust settles.
- ▶Looking after mental health is worth it when headlines feel heavy.
💷Wealth
- ▶It could be worth a quick look at your ISA or pension in the coming days.
- ▶Nest eggs can wobble briefly before finding their footing again.
🏠Housing
- ▶Any effect on bricks and mortar is likely to be slow and modest.
- ▶House prices and rents are unlikely to shift the moment this news breaks.