The director of Colombia’s National Police resigned amid criticism over his religious fanaticism.
President Gustavo Petro confirmed the resignation of Henry Sanabria eight months after appointing the general as the highest-ranking police chief.
Sanabria’s deputy, General Yackeline Navarro, has also been replaced, according to Petro.
Sanabria was replaced by retired General William Salamanca.
The resignations of Sanabria and Navarro followed persistent claims of police officers, who claimed they were forced to participate in religious rituals.
The resigned police general said earlier this year that allegedly bewitched cops had been subjected to exorcism.
The allegations triggered a wave of criticism about the National Police’s alleged failure to protect officers’ religious freedoms.
The appointments of Sanabria and Navarro were criticized from within the police as they required the resignation of more than 20 senior commanders in August last year.
Salamanca was in charge of this reorganization.
The newly appointed police chief resigned as the National Police’s inspector in December 2020 after his investigations revealed alleged corruption in the top of the institution.
