Colombia’s New Government Reportedly Held Exorcisms at Ministries
Priests carried out prayer and blessing rites and, according to Colombian media reports, possible exorcisms at the headquarters of the Ministries of Mines and Energy and Science during the first days of Abelardo de la Espriella’s government.
The activities took place on August 8 and 9, just one and two days after the presidential inauguration, and were authorized to take place inside the official buildings.
The presence of religious figures in government offices has caused surprise and criticism in Colombia, especially because reports indicate that one of the invited priests is authorized to perform exorcisms.
Although the agencies have not publicly confirmed that these rituals took place, journalistic investigations have documented the religious figures’ entry into the buildings and the authorizations granted to access the facilities.
Colombia’s new government reportedly held exorcisms at ministries
The first episode took place on Saturday, August 8, at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, located at Bogotá’s National Administrative Center (CAN). According to an investigation by Cambio, a group of priests was authorized to enter the building when no government employees or contractors were working there.
Among the religious figures was Robert Rodriguez Severiche, a priest who claims to have authorization from the Diocese of Sonson to perform exorcisms.
Ronal Pulido Martinez and Rodolfo Londoño de la Espriella also participated. The latter was recently appointed chaplain of the Casa de Nariño and was initially reported to be a cousin of President De la Espriella — a claim that was later denied by the presidency. They were joined by Junior Londoño de la Espriella, a Catholic preacher and pro-life leader identified as the latter’s brother.
The Ministry of Science, however, had not confirmed at the time of the investigation’s publication what exactly the purpose of the visit was. Several internal sources said that the religious figures did enter the building, accompanied by an administrative official, but the agency had not officially explained the reasons for granting authorization.
A day later, on Sunday, August 9, a similar group was authorized to enter the Ministry of Mines and Energy. The building was also empty and, according to reports, ultimately only one of the religious figures was able to enter: Bishop Dimas Acuña Jiménez of the Diocese of El Banco, Magdalena.
Cambio reported that two sources said the purpose of the visit was to perform a blessing and an exorcism on the premises. The bishop reportedly walked through the corridors on the ministry’s sixth floor for approximately half an hour, accompanied by an official close to Minister Maria Nohemi Arboleda Arango.
The existence of official authorization to access the building is, so far, a documented fact. What remains publicly unconfirmed is whether an exorcism was actually performed and who may have ordered it. The Ministry of Mines remained silent in response to the media inquiries cited in the investigations.
Religion and the State at the center of the controversy
The controversy has taken on a political dimension because the episodes occurred immediately after De la Espriella came to power and amid a context in which the president has made frequent references to God and his religious beliefs.
The debate also coincides with another controversy related to the presidential inauguration on August 7. A Bogota judge questioned religious elements included in the ceremony and ordered the president to issue a public apology, arguing that the principle of religious neutrality of the state had been violated.
For government critics, the use of institutional spaces for religious activities raises questions about the boundaries between the personal beliefs of public officials and the functioning of a state that is constitutionally required to maintain neutrality toward different faiths.
Although his supporters argue that prayers and blessings do not necessarily constitute religious imposition, but rather expressions of faith compatible with the convictions of those holding public office, the judiciary has reminded the head of state of the secular nature and neutrality he must uphold in his role as president.
For now, the main question remains what exactly happened inside the ministries. Journalistic reports document the priests’ entry and the corresponding authorizations, but the agencies involved have not publicly and in detail explained what activities the religious figures carried out.
This lack of clarity has turned what initially appeared to be a private spiritual visit into one of the first debates over the religious identity and institutional boundaries of Colombia’s new government.