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Following a court order, the Colombian Government has taken down videos from its social media platforms that depicted President Abelardo de la Espriella walking among the bodies of those killed during military operations against armed groups.
The Juzgado 14 Laboral del Circuito de Bogotá ordered the temporary removal of the posts from official government social media accounts after a legal complaint raised concerns about the publication of images of dead bodies. The ruling stopped short of ordering their permanent deletion pending a final decision.
The videos showed de la Espriella among bodies wrapped in white bags following military operations against suspected members of armed groups.
The president, who took office in August, campaigned on a hardline pledge to confront Colombia’s armed groups, many of which are involved in drug trafficking and illegal mining.
He has since overseen three military airstrikes against guerrilla groups, with at least 42 people killed, including six minors.
The videos were published on official government accounts and drew criticism for displaying the bodies as part of communications about the military operations.
The court action followed a complaint filed by Green Party lawmaker Santiago Osorio, who challenged the publication over its potential impact on fundamental rights, particularly those of children and adolescents.
Colombian media reported that the order specifically targeted posts published on the Presidency’s official Instagram account showing explicit images of bodies linked to military operations in Guaviare and La Guajira.
The government’s official accounts have since taken down the posts covered by the order, although the material remained available on de la Espriella’s personal X account, according to the original report.
The controversy comes as the president seeks to demonstrate his administration’s tougher approach to Colombia’s armed groups.
De la Espriella has repeatedly used social media to publicise military operations, including footage accompanied by dramatic music and messages portraying the campaign as part of his effort to defeat armed groups.
The use of images of the dead has drawn criticism from Colombian human rights officials and other public figures. Colombia’s Ombudsman, Iris Marín, previously said the dead should be treated with dignity and warned against using bodies as part of official political messaging.
The latest court order is the second recent judicial intervention involving the new president’s official conduct and public communications.
In August, a Colombian court ordered de la Espriella to apologise for violating religious neutrality during his inauguration.
The court’s latest order remains temporary, meaning a final decision on whether the videos can remain publicly available has yet to be made.
