Colombia’s chief of police mentioned he and different officials have used exorcism and prayer to take on crime and the nation’s maximum robust criminals, together with drug cartel chief Pablo Escobar.
Sitting in his place of business surrounded by way of crucifixes, effigies of the Virgin Mary and different Catholic symbols, General Henry Sanabria instructed native media on Saturday that those non secular practices have helped the police during the remaining 50 years of armed war in the South American nation.
As examples, he recalled police operations in which Escobar (in 1993), FARC guerrilla chief Alfonso Cano (2011) and his army chief referred to as “Mono Jojoy” (2010) had been killed.
“The existence of the devil is certain. I have seen him. I have felt him,” Sanabria mentioned in an interview with Semana magazine, making the signal of the move at each point out of the devil.
He instructed the mag that lately a small team of unarmed cops used to be surrounded by way of masses of violent protesters. Sanabria mentioned that he arrived at the scene and pulled out a crucifix.
“They picked up everything and left,” Sanabria mentioned. “The policemen looked at me. They didn’t dare ask me what had happened.”
Sanabria claimed criminals use witchcraft, and mentioned in one operation a police officer have been ready to kill one of them by way of “praying while shooting.”
His statements have sparked fierce debates on social media in Colombia, a mundane nation with Catholic traditions.
President Gustavo Petro didn’t categorical fear.
“We know the beliefs of the general, but we try to make sure that these beliefs do not affect the rules, it is as simple as that,” he mentioned. “I think he has respected them, as far as we know.”
Previous statements by way of the police chief have additionally brought about controversy.
Sanabria has spoken in opposition to abortion, which is felony in Colombia till the twenty fourth week of being pregnant, and the use of condoms, which he has referred to as an “abortive method.”
Last October, he described Halloween as a “satanic” vacation and wrote a tweet about Women’s Day on March 8 that used to be accused of being sexist.
“A woman’s charm makes her husband happy and if she is reasonable, she makes it last. A discreet woman is a gift from the Lord,” he wrote.
Sebastian Barros/NurPhoto by the use of Getty Images
In contemporary days, Colombia has additionally hired extra conventional strategies to take on crime and drug trafficking. Earlier this month, the nation’s army intercepted two so-called “narco subs” — semi-submersible vessels sporting massive hauls of cocaine. One of the vessels additionally had two lifeless our bodies on board.