Colombian President Ivan Duque apologized Friday for police officers dressing up in Nazi garb to attend a cultural exchange event honoring Germany.
Pictures of the event were posted to Twitter by an official police account.
The photo shows the Wehrmacht uniform in grey green, and one student with a Adolf Hitler-style moustache.
Other are wearing the black uniforms of the SS with red swastika armbands.
A replica Luftwaffe aircraft, Nazi weapons, and tablecloths with swastikas were all featured at the event.
Colombia’s President Ivan Duque apologized Friday for police officers dressing up as Nazis at a cultural exchange event. (pictured)
The black, red and yellow German flag and balloons in the same colours decorated the venue that also featured a replica Luftwaffe plane and copies of Nazi firearms
The Wehrmacht’s grey-green uniform is worn by students. One student has a moustache in Adolf Hitler style (center).
Pictures showed that two Colombian-dressed police officers opened the ceremony by cutting a ribbon.
“From SimonBolivar, the police academy of Tulua in the city is organizing an #InternationalWeek together with #Germany.
The police account on Twitter stated that they are strengthening their knowledge through cultural exchanges.
These photos provoked a mix of anger and incredulity via social media.
Duque tweeted that he did not accept an apology for Nazism and that he condemned any protest that used or refers symbols that reference Holocaust victims.
Police dismissed the chief of the academy.
President Ivan Duque tweeted that he did not accept an apology for Nazism and that he condemned any protest that used or refers symbols that refer to the Jews responsible for the Jewish Holocaust, which claimed the lives more than 6 million.
According to the Defense Ministry (under whose stewardship the Colombian Police falls), ‘it does not contemplate in any way an act such as that which occurred yesterday’.
Bogota, Germany’s and Israel’s embassies released a joint statement in which they reaffirmed their rejection of all forms of apology or display of Nazism.
Colombia’s police have been under fire for brutally suppressing anti-government protests in Colombia earlier this year. A ‘transformation campaign’ has begun to change their image. It will include a uniform replacement.