Colombian president purges National Museum of works promoting ‘communism’

Far-right President Abelardo de la Espriella says he will wage a ‘counterrevolution’ against cultural institutions.Published On 22 Oct 202622 Oct 2026Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has announced he is spearheading a cultural “counterrevolution” that includes removing dozens of exhibits from the National Museum, drawing protests and comparisons to United States President Donald Trump.De la Espriella, a conservative Trump ally, said last week that he wants to prevent cultural institutions from being taken over by what he calls “atheist social communism”.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Colombia inaugurates embassy to Israel in Jerusalemlist 2 of 3Colombia opposition groups launch protest against de la Espriella’s cutslist 3 of 3Why are Latin American countries building closer ties with Israel?end of listSince then, exhibits have been taken down that once addressed the history of social movements, including feminist and LGBTQ+ activism, and Colombia’s political violence.The changes have sparked protests by civil rights groups, artists and students who have accused the government of censorship and warn that important parts of the country’s history could be er...