The Ministry of Defense of Colombia has announced that there will be a investigation into alleged exorcisms carried out by the Police in operations and the possible influence of the religious beliefs of the director of the Police, Major General Henry Armando Sanabria, in the management of the institution.
The decision was made after in an interview, Sanabria mentioned the exorcismsaffirmed that the condom is an abortion method and related the LGBTIQ community with HIV.
Colombia is a secular state, according to its Constitution, although Sanabria describes himself as a practitioner of the Catholic faith and has made reference to his religious beliefs in various public statements.
The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, has assured that he will not persecute anyone for their religious affiliation, but has also affirmed that there must be a separation between beliefs and public function.
Sanabria was appointed director of the Police in August 2022, within the framework of a renewal of the leadership of the country’s armed forces.
In the interview published by Semana Magazine, Sanabria explained how the police use religion in the performance of their dutiess, from praying while shooting at armed groups to performing exorcisms to capture big insurgent bosses or capos.
In the interview, Sanabria assured that the operation in which Luis Edgar Devia was killedalias “Raúl Reyes”, one of the top leaders of the FARC guerrilla, in 2008, was performed by exorcism. He also claimed that against the capo Pablo Escobar, killed in 1993, an exorcism was also performed.
Sanabria is against infidelity within the Police and abortion, stating that the condom is an “abortive method.” In Colombia, the Constitutional Court decriminalized abortion up to the 24th week of gestation and, after that limit, it is only allowed in three specific cases.
The chief of Police assured that he accepts the right to the development of free personality and protects his members of the Police, he warned a group of police officers several years ago that “you have to be careful.”
The Colombian Ministry of Defense has not released details about the investigation it will carry out.
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