The headlines of two Colombian online newspapers on March 26, 2023, were startling: “Police Director Recognized the Practice of Exorcisms in the Fight against Crime” and “The Director of the Police Talked about Exorcisms, Abortion and the LGBTIQ Community.”
The quotes were from Henry Sanabria, director of the Colombian National Police, who stated that drug traffickers and other dangerous criminals shield themselves from arrest through pacts with the devil. According to the news website noticiasscrn.com, “For General Sanabria religious symbols would serve to ward off evil. In fact, in the middle of the interview with Semana magazine, every time he referred to evil, he crossed himself, perhaps for his protection.” Furthermore, “Sanabria assured that drug traffickers and the most dangerous criminals shield themselves with the devil through witchcraft as a protection mechanism. ‘The existence of the devil is certain. I have seen it, I have perceived it,’ he declared.”
According to the news portal msn.com, Sanabria “Spoke about the use of exorcisms in the institution to kill criminals, about what happened in Caquetá where more than 70 police officers were kidnapped, the way in which he fights the devil, the LGBTIQ community and abortion, among other topics.” Sanabria’s faithful and hermetic belief in Catholicism has even led him to decorate his office with crucifixes and images that he uses for protection from evil. Sanabria also stated that he and other police officials have carried out exorcisms and other religious practices to combat crime against, for example, Pablo Escobar (in 1993); the leader of the FARC guerrilla, Alfonso Cano (in 2011); and Cano’s military chief known as “Mono Jojoy” (in 2010). It is common for psychics to approach police to offer their “services” in solving crimes, sometimes of their own initiative, other times hired by victims’ families (even though they are typically unsuccessful).
President Petro Weighs In
While avoiding the subject of exorcisms specifically, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said he was aware of Sanabria’s beliefs but emphasized that they should not affect the function of the institution or the public. Sanabria’s statements were criticized on social media; for example, feminist organizations and some congressmen called for Sanabria to be removed from office. However, many who read Sanabria’s statements in the Semana interview left supportive comments online:
- “What a beautiful interview; I wish all public servants were like this man.”
- “I am in a very large prayer group and we always pray [and] say the rosary for the police and for the soldiers of Colombia.”
- “This general must have had an excellent spiritual upbringing, hence his impeccable and respectful personality. We need many personalities like him in Colombia to light the way forward, and there are plenty of mediocre people who believe they are important figures without being so.”
- “When a man fears God, he is incorruptible. Thank you, General Sanabria, for being like that, respectful of God’s law, of his principles and values that have always been instilled in him.”
And the accolades continue. As of this writing, not a single comment criticizes General Sanabria for believing in the devil. Though Colombia is ostensibly a secular country, nearly 90 percent of the population is Christian, with 70 percent Roman Catholic. Belief in miracles and other aspects of Catholic theology are widespread—including among the Colombian National Police.