Far-Right Candidate De La Espriella Stripped of National Symbols: Colombian Court Orders Removal from Campaign

Original article: Ultraderechista De La Espriella se queda sin bandera: justicia colombiana ordena retirar símbolos patrios de su campaña

With less than two weeks until the presidential runoff in Colombia, the Superior Court of Bogotá has ordered far-right candidate Abelardo De La Espriella to immediately remove the national flag, coat of arms, and any patriotic symbols from his political advertisements.

This marks a significant setback for his campaign, as his movement is named «Firmes por la Patria» and has relied heavily on a narrative centered around the appropriation of nationalistic sentiments.

The ruling, authored by Judge Rafael Albeiro Chavarro Poveda, stems from a legal action initiated by citizen Dylan Lizarazo Ramos. The court was decisive, stating that within 24 hours, De La Espriella must eliminate any propaganda featuring national emblems.

«The collected evidence indicates that the electoral propaganda disseminated on social media by presidential candidate Abelardo Gabriel de la Espriella Otero and the significant group of citizens ‘Defenders of the Homeland’ makes inappropriate use of patriotic symbols within the political campaign,» the judicial ruling outlined.

This decision not only impacts his public image but also exposes the populist tactics of the far-right candidate. Nonetheless, his lawyer Germán Calderón España announced that he would file a legal complaint to block the precautionary measure.

A Double Judicial Defeat

What transpired in the Superior Court is not an isolated incident. Last week, the 120th Municipal Criminal Court had already prohibited the candidate from using the Colombian national soccer team jersey during his campaign events. Judge Aurora Forero, upon admitting a legal action from Wilmar Bocanegra, was emphatic: the sports attire serves sporting purposes, not political ones. «At this time of electoral context, it is crucial to safeguard the rights of the social conglomerate,» the ruling stated, reminding that Colombia is a Social, Democratic, Participatory, and Pluralistic State, as reported by Vanguardia.

The recurrent use of the national team jersey — even during voting abroad — was a deliberate strategy that was denounced by his opponent, the progressive Iván Cepeda of the Historical Pact, who even requested a statement from the Colombian Football Federation.

Cepeda criticized the exploitation of sports fervor for electoral purposes, a critique now supported by the judicial power.

Without Flag and Without Jersey: The Symbolic Void

The coincidence of both judicial rulings places De La Espriella in an uncomfortable position: deprived of the two most powerful symbols of the Colombian collective imagination. His campaign, which sought to position itself as an interpreter of patriotism, has been stripped bare before the electorate.

The Colombian judiciary reminded the far-right candidate that the homeland is not the private property of any presidential aspirant.

However, De La Espriella responded to the Superior Court’s ruling, opting to call on his supporters to continue using the slogans and the Colombian national team jersey within the framework of his presidential campaign.

«I need the help of each one of you. Every cellphone, every national team jersey you wear, every video you post shouting ‘firmes por la patria’ is a cry for freedom,» he asserted, as quoted by Publimetro Colombia.