Colombian Police General Henry Sanabria in Bogotá on January 16, 2023. Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
The devoted director of Colombia’s police force, Henry Sanabria, has become a stumbling block for Gustavo Petro’s government. More than once, the uniformed man has irritated feminist groups, LGBTI groups, human rights organizations and generally defenders of the secular state. In the latest cover story of Semana magazine, which has been circulating since this Saturday, he does it again, dismissing condom use as “abortive” and blaming the LGBTI community for HIV among the agents. Sanabria also recounts exorcisms in public violence operations as part of his battle against “the devil” in a lengthy and powerful interview peppered with Bible verses, through lengthy passages more typical of a priest than a general.
The general, one of the public figures who most expresses his beliefs in Colombia, affirms that he “loves” to be attacked for his religiosity. “The existence of the devil is certain. I have seen it, I have perceived it, for many it is a fable and for others it is not believed. And that’s fine, because let’s say the devil says it, he denies himself,” Sanabria told journalist Vicky Dávila. He also denies removing police officers from the institution for infidelity, although he does point out that “I wish I did”.
The police chief’s beliefs include opposition to same-sex marriage, euthanasia and abortion – which he considers a “very serious sin” – in Statements that are considered to be illegal that violate decisions of the Constitutional Court. “Unfortunately, because there are so many of us, there is a large LGBTIQ community at the facility,” Sanabria tells the magazine, noting that there are about 12,000 police officers living with HIV. “The more they criticize me, the more they sanctify me. I am not suffering. I like being attacked, and even more so when it’s out of faith,” he says elsewhere, although he stresses that he feels “appreciated by the president and the government.” His statements are well known amid rumors of his departure.
“I have no news that he has resigned,” President Petro told reporters accompanying him at the Ibero-American Summit in the Dominican Republic this Saturday, reported from Santo Domingo Juan Diego Quesada. “The discussion has to do with two issues. For one, his religious beliefs, which must be respected. We would not prosecute anyone because of a religious belief. The other thing is the separation that there must be from the official and his beliefs. May faith not affect. We know the general’s beliefs, but we are trying to ensure that these beliefs do not interfere with his work,” the president tried to reassure. Asked if the troops were discouraged, Petro said he hadn’t received any complaints, “but it’s an issue we’ll be discussing with him.”
In other matters typical of a police chief, Sanabria describes the recent arrest of 79 uniformed men by protesters in Caquetá as “kidnapping for extortion,” a bewildering episode that has drawn heavy criticism of the government. However, he explains that he agreed with Home Secretary Alfonso Prada to use the controversial phrase “humanitarian fence” to free the police officers. It also notes that Iván Márquez, the former peace negotiator for the extinct FARC guerrillas who took up arms, is still in Venezuela with very serious injuries after suffering a bomb attack. He also denies that Colombian public forces were involved in the operation that killed his comrade-in-arms Jesús Santrich across the border, which he attributes to “an action between armed groups on foreign territory”.
The general was surrounded by controversy even before he took office. Last year, feminist organizations rejected his appointment, drawing attention to the alleged persecution of slum youth, street vendors and LGBTI people when he was chief of police in Cartagena between 2019 and 2021. Shortly after, he caused controversy when he opposed the Halloween celebrations because he saw them as part of a pagan festival, which a message he shared on WhatsApp described as a “satanic strategy”. More recently, on March 8, she once again clashed with feminism by turning to the Bible to mark International Women’s Day, writing on her social media that “a woman’s charm makes her husband happy.” In Saturday’s interview, he reiterates these assessments, which he sees as “homage” by emphasizing “submissive” and “discrete” women.
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