Colombian president purges National Museum of works promoting ‘communism’ | Arts and Culture News
Colombian President Launches Cultural ‘Counterrevolution’ Amid Protests
BOGOTÁ, Colombia — President Abelardo de la Espriella has unveiled a controversial initiative to reshape the cultural landscape of Colombia, announcing a “counterrevolution” aimed at dismantling what he describes as the influence of “atheist social communism” in cultural institutions. This plan includes the removal of numerous exhibits from the National Museum, which has provoked significant public backlash and comparisons to former U.S. President Donald Trump.
De la Espriella, who has aligned himself with conservative ideologies similar to those propagated by Trump, made the declaration last week. Since then, the National Museum has seen the withdrawal of exhibits that reflect the complexities of social movements, including those focused on feminist and LGBTQ+ rights, as well as the nation’s history of political violence.
The actions have led to protests organized by civil rights advocates, artists, and students, who accuse the government of censorship and warn that vital aspects of Colombia’s heritage are at risk of being expunged. On Wednesday, demonstrators gathered outside the National Museum in Bogotá, where they were met by a presence of riot police.
“I find it outrageous that they want to erase part of our history,” said Azul Riascos, a history student participating in the protest. Riascos expressed concern that the government’s actions promote a narrow representation of Colombian identity as solely white, Catholic, and Spanish-speaking, while marginalizing Black, Indigenous, and LGBTQ+ communities.
Gimena Sanchez-Garzoli, director for the Andes at the Washington Office on Latin America, noted that the Colombian government’s approach mirrors a wider trend among Trump allies who replicate U.S. political narratives and strategies. This has included Trump’s criticism of cultural institutions, particularly museums associated with the Smithsonian.
In July, the White House released a report deeming certain officials from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History as radical activists and ordered the installation of signage indicating that some exhibits may be misleading. Three months later, no such signs have been put up, and the museum’s director, Anthea Hartig, has stated that the White House report misrepresents the institution’s work.
Sanchez-Garzoli pointed out that the collaboration between Trump and Latin American governments in areas such as security and drug enforcement also carries an ideological weight. “These are imported narratives about terrorism and about being ‘woke,’” said anthropologist Arturo Sanabria during the protest, labeling the Colombian government’s stance as a form of neocolonial intervention.
In response to recent developments, Colombian Culture Minister Paola Holguin confirmed that the government is reassessing and redesigning exhibitions and curatorial practices across various museums under her purview. Additionally, the Foreign Ministry has renamed a courtyard that once honored an Indigenous leader, describing this change as part of an effort to combat “woke” ideology.
Outside the National Museum, political scientist Estefania Cardozo remarked, “The government is making serious efforts in a cultural battle that probably doesn’t exist. It is inventing one to erase identities that cannot be erased because they already exist.”
