Politics & Governance
Colombia president to challenge court orders on security
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella said Sunday that he will challenge court orders blocking parts of his hardline security policy, after judges restricted bombings, coca-crop spraying and graphic official videos.
De la Espriella, who took office in August, has declared war on Colombia's drug-trafficking guerrilla groups. His policy is backed by US military support.
A judge ordered his government to suspend bombings of guerrillas if intelligence indicated that minors were present. An earlier ruling halted the spraying of coca crops with glyphosate, a herbicide linked to cancer in humans.
Another ruling ordered the government to hide graphic social media videos that appeared to show De la Espriella walking among bodies of people killed in military attacks on guerrillas. Colombian government Meta accounts removed the videos after a Bogota court ordered them temporarily hidden while a judge makes a final decision. The order did not require definitive deletion, and the videos remained on De la Espriella's X profile.
The president said judicial decisions must be respected and existing orders obeyed, but added that this did not mean giving up the right to challenge them.
De la Espriella has overseen three deadly airstrikes on guerrillas since entering office. Those operations killed at least 42 people, including six minors, according to the existing account.
Colombia has joined the Shield of the Americas, described as US President Donald Trump's anti-cartel alliance of Latin American countries, including Argentina, Ecuador and El Salvador.
Update
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella said he will challenge court orders blocking parts of his security policy.
A court ruling halted the spraying of coca crops with glyphosate, a herbicide linked to cancer in humans.
De la Espriella said judicial decisions must be respected and obeyed but can still be challenged.
The source item says De la Espriella's policy is backed by US military support.
Colombia has joined the Shield of the Americas, described as US President Donald Trump's anti-cartel alliance of Latin American countries.
Source note: AFP news report published on 14 September 2026 at 05:31:50 UTC.
Update
Colombian government social media accounts have removed the videos from official Meta platform accounts.
The videos remain on President Abelardo de la Espriella's X profile.
A Bogota court ordered the government on Tuesday to temporarily hide the videos while a final decision is pending.
Santiago Osorio, the lawmaker who filed the complaint, said the government should report on operations without dwelling on violence and cruelty.
A separate court ruling earlier this month banned strikes on guerrilla camps in a previously targeted Amazonian region if intelligence indicated minors were present.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 18:49:26 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The supplied material does not say whether De la Espriella has formally filed the legal challenges or when he will do so.
The court order on the government Meta videos was temporary while a judge makes a final decision.
The videos were described as appearing to show De la Espriella among bodies of alleged criminals; the supplied material does not establish all identities of the people shown.
Source
AFP news report published on .