A post by the former director of the Department for Social Prosperity, Gustavo Bolívar, on the social network X, triggered a statement from the general commander of the Military Forces, General Hugo López, who asked him to refrain from using images of wounded military personnel to support political positions.
The controversy arose from a message published by Bolívar on June 4, accompanied by the hashtag #MeLaJuegoPorLaVida, amidst the political atmosphere prior to the second presidential round. The tweet contained an image divided into two parts: in the upper part appeared the message “Con Cepeda”, along with a photograph of uniformed police officers sitting in a classroom; in the lower part was the text “Con Abelardo”, accompanied by an image of members of the Public Force with physical disabilities, some in wheelchairs and others with prostheses.
After the controversy, General López responded directly to the former senator via X and rejected the use of images of injured uniformed personnel in the performance of their duty to participate in political debates.
“I ask you not to use the image, sacrifice, or name of our soldiers to support political causes, interests, or ends”, expressed the commander of the Military Forces.
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The high-ranking officer also recalled that the men and women of the institution perform their duties within the framework of the Constitution and the law, without distinction of ideologies or political preferences.
Likewise, he specified that the military personnel appearing in the photograph are uniformed individuals who were wounded during the fulfillment of their constitutional mission and asked for respect for them and their families.
“Out of respect for their service, their families, and the sacrifice they represent, I ask you not to use the Military Forces for political controversies”, stated the general.
The episode also occurs amidst the discussion generated by the upcoming departure of General Erick Rodríguez from the Army, who on May 19 denounced the alleged issuance of ID cards by illegal armed groups in several areas of Meta.
Bolívar’s post, which prompted the statement from the commander of the Military Forces, is no longer available on his X profile.
Justice Desk
