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Colombian court orders candidate De la Espriella to remove national symbols from campaign
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Elections & Politics

Colombian court orders candidate De la Espriella to remove national symbols from campaign

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Outcome reported
  • A Colombian court ordered presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella to remove all campaign propaganda using national symbols like the flag and military imagery.
  • The order also prohibits the use of his campaign slogan "Firmes por la patria" and his political movement's name, "Defensores de la patria."
  • This is the second judicial setback for De la Espriella, who was previously told not to use the Colombian national soccer team's jersey in his campaign.

The Superior Tribunal of Bogotá has ordered far-right presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella to immediately remove all political campaign materials that feature national symbols. The ruling mandates the removal of propaganda displaying the Colombian flag, the national coat of arms, and imagery associated with military and police institutions.

The tribunal's decision, issued by the Second Chamber, is a response to an injunction filed by citizen Dylan Lizarazo Ramos against De la Espriella and his political movement, "Defensores de la Patria" (Defenders of the Fatherland). The court has given the candidate 24 hours to comply with the order. Additionally, the ruling prohibits the use of De la Espriella's main campaign slogan, "Firmes por la patria" (Firm for the Fatherland), and the name of his political movement.

The Tribunal of Bogotá has just ordered Abelardo de La Espriella to remove all campaign advertising where the flag of Colombia is used and prohibits him from using the expression 'firmes por la patria'. Justice will have to take half the country to jail. It is an abuse.

— Daniel BriceñoA representative elected who supports De la Espriella, reacting to the court's order.

Supporters of De la Espriella reacted strongly to the ruling. Daniel Briceño, an elected representative who backs the candidate, expressed his outrage on X, calling the decision an "abuse" and stating that "justice will have to take half the country to jail." This sentiment reflects the strong nationalist appeal of De la Espriella's campaign.

This marks the second significant judicial challenge for De la Espriella's campaign. Previously, a Bogotá judge ordered him to cease using the Colombian national soccer team's jersey in campaign events and advertising. That provisional measure stemmed from a separate injunction seeking to protect rights such as equality and non-discrimination, arguing against the use of national team symbols for political purposes. De la Espriella's team had contested the earlier ruling, seeking its revocation.

The Superior Tribunal of Bogotá ordered the far-right presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella to remove all political propaganda from his campaign in which national symbols such as the flag of Colombia, the national shield and images alluding to military and police institutions are used.

Reporting the core of the court's decision.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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