Former President Santos Slams De la Espriella for ‘Parading Among Corpses’

Former Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos harshly criticized President Abelardo de la Espriella on the 10th anniversary of the historic Colombian Peace Agreement. During a forum marking the milestone, Santos questioned the manner in which de la Espriella's administration presents the outcomes of military operations against armed groups.

The former president particularly took issue with images showing the president strolling alongside bodies of victims killed by the Armed Forces, a practice he described as deeply troubling due to the message it conveys to society. "Ten years later, we are seeing a president parading among corpses, showing them off with pride or signing bombs as if they were gifts," Santos remarked, drawing attention to the stark contrast between his policy of negotiating with guerrillas and the current administration's security strategy.

The comments, surprising given Santos's usual reticence to comment on contemporary Colombian politics, underscored the divisions between his negotiated approach and the present government's security measures. The former president's criticism also extended beyond the act of displaying corpses to the broader manner of communicating these events.

Santos argued that such public displays risk presenting a victorious narrative while disregarding the devastating human toll of violence, a sentiment particularly relevant in a country scarred by decades of conflict. His remarks also reflected concerns about Colombia potentially reverting to earlier, more violent eras if it adopts similar communication tactics.

During the event, Santos highlighted the enduring importance of the 2016 Peace Agreement, which ended the long-standing armed conflict with the FARC, emphasizing its global acclaim and the necessity of preserving its key achievements despite the evolving political and security landscape in Colombia.