The powerful campaign slogans "firm for the homeland" and "Defenders of the Homeland".
Leftist judges prohibited Abelardo from using the Colombian flag and using the expression "Firmes por la Patria"
The Superior Court of Bogotá imposed precautionary measures against the presidential candidate and the Defenders of the Homeland movement, requiring them to remove within 24 hours all propaganda that uses the flag, national emblems, or slogans related to patriotic identity
The powerful campaign slogans "firm for the homeland" and "Defenders of the Homeland".
The democratic landscape in Colombia is overshadowed by a series of judicial decisions aimed at suffocating the campaign of the right-wing candidate, Abelardo de la Espriella. Just 11 days before the definitive contest, a strategy of censorship has been deployed, using the judicial apparatus as a political weapon to strip the "Defenders of the Homeland" movement of its deepest symbols of national unity. This offensive, interpreted as a direct attack on national identity, occurs while citizens seek refuge in their patriotic values in the face of the current and delirious President Petro's management.
In a recent ruling, the Superior Court of Bogotá admitted a tutela action filed by citizen Dylan Lizarazo Ramos, ordering a drastic precautionary measure. The ruling is categorical and grants a peremptory deadline of just 24 hours for the campaign to REMOVE all political advertising on websites, social media, and mass media that employs patriotic symbols. This order directly affects Abelardo de la Espriella, his vice-presidential candidate, José Manuel Restrepo, and his entire team.
The prohibition issued by the court is extensive and prohibits the use of the following key elements:
The flag of the Republic of Colombia, the coat of arms, and any representative figure of the nation.
Images related to military and police institutions, including emblems and the military salute.
This siege is compounded by the decision of the 120th Municipal Criminal Court of Bogotá, where a leftist judge had previously prohibited the use of the official jersey of the Colombian National Football Team at campaign events. This measure arose after another tutela was filed by Wilman Ramiro Bocanegra Calderón, who, under the pretext of protecting the "right to equality", served as an instrument for this legal abuse just after thousands of supporters flooded the streets with the yellow jersey to celebrate De la Espriella's advance to the second round.
It is evident that this persecution responds to coordinated pressure from the communist candidate Iván Cepeda, who will compete in the runoff on June 21. While the Colombian Football Federation (FCF) clarified that it has no authority to restrict a freely purchased garment, the justice system has chosen to silence patriotism at a time when enthusiasm for the Tricolor is at its peak due to the upcoming 2026 World Cup.
The judicial order even requires that the removed propaganda be sent to the CNE for safekeeping, under the premise of "eradicating anti-democratic behaviors", an absolute irony considering that it seeks to prohibit a candidate from using the colors of the homeland he aspires to defend. Despite this harsh blow, the sentiment of the "Defenders of the Homeland" remains intact, facing a justice system that seems more interested in favoring leftist political agendas than in respecting the freedom of expression of millions of Colombians