Criticism of the images did not stop him from posting further videos in which he again appears walking among the dead. One was published on October 25 after an operation against the ELN, one of Colombia's main guerrilla groups.
The lawyer and far-right politician has used the footage as part of a communications campaign built around security operations, presenting the images as proof of results against armed groups.
In some of the videos he speaks while standing among the bags. He has also set clips of arms seizures and arrests to music taken from action films.
The backlash has not been limited to his style. Critics have also questioned the results of his hardline, repressive policies, and thousands of Colombians have marched against them.
Aside from an 18-year-old, two other cases described as false positives have been reported in recent weeks. The teenager was killed during operations against the paramilitary group ACSN, the same operation De la Espriella praised while walking among body bags.
One critic, citing that history, said the case"merits a detailed investigation because no one wants this kind of event to keep happening."Another said they did not recall a president walking among the dead and appearing proud of the deaths.
In a statement posted on September 24, the Ministry of Defence said it would leave it to the Office of the General Prosecutor and forensic experts"to uncover all the facts and establish the motives and actions of the people present in the zone where the military deployment took place."Contacted for comment, the Colombian police responded in the same terms. The president's office was also contacted.
Critics argue the videos let De la Espriella build a story of an effective president who produces results."The president is speaking a lot about what he calls 'results' but, in reality, that's just rhetoric, aligned with his idea of what a government should do,"one assessment of the campaign said.
The row also reaches spending plans. The 2027 budget prioritises security while cutting funds for institutions that work on rural development, land distribution and the reintegration of former combatants.
False positives have a longer history in the security forces' fight against guerrillas. Raising the body count was once treated as a route to advantages, including extra paid time off.
That past is why the new images have landed so heavily: a president filming himself among body bags, and treating the dead as a warning, has revived fears that civilian killings could again be passed off as combat results.