General Henry Sanabria, the director of the Colombian National Police, uses his religious faith -- including prayer, crucifixes, and exorcism -- to combat criminals and drug traffickers, according to a March 27 report by CBS News and an interview in Semana. 

In his office there are pictures and statues of Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and other saints. These sacramentals "have helped the police throughout the last 50 years of armed conflict in the South American country," said Sanabria, as reported by CBS.

"The existence of the devil is certain," Sanabria told the magazine Semana. "I have seen him. I have felt him.... I see his presence in many situations."

Sanabria then mentioned an incident when he and about 10 other police officers were confronted by more than 2,000 violent protestors. "I took out my crucifix," the police chief said, "because behind every violent action there is a presence of evil."

Upon seeing the crucifix, the protesters dispersed. "They picked up everything and left," said Sanabria. "The policemen looked at me. They didn't dare ask me what had happened. The fear that several of them had, especially the women, was huge.... I arrived at the site and raised my crucifix because I have enormous faith. My faith is very big."

As for the exorcisms, Sanabria said, "I have been into exorcisms since 2007. What is exorcism? It is a ministry of the Church that basically means acting against the action of the devil in his extraordinary power.... [T]hanks to the courage of many priests, we have managed to counteract this evil in the police. For example, the operation against Mono Jojoy. That was exorcism."

Victor Julio Suarez rojas, a.k.a. Mono Jojoy, was a leader in the Marxist terrorist group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). He was killed by Columbian authorities in September 2010.

"The police carried out several operations against him and nothing happened," explained Sanabria.  "A priest said: 'Look, you are not asking God. If you don't put your actions in God's hands, that won't work.' So we performed the Holy Mass for that purpose and, from Bogotá, the exorcism was performed."

"The police officers who participated in that said a prayer with them," added Sanabria. "The priest blessed the arms of the State with which he was going to be the object of persecution and it worked [JoJoy was killed]. Of course, because it is the action of God."

The Semana reporter then asked, "In what other large operation have exorcisms been used?"  The police chief replied, "In all cases against the FARC members. It was all with exorcism."

Sanabria also said that a priest using a picture of FARC member Raul Reyes, along with an exorcism prayer, was able to break a demonic spell and it revealed Reyes's location. Reyes was killed by Colombian army forces in 2008.

According to Sanabria, FARC members and many criminals use witchcraft to protect themselves. 

The police chief revealed that exorcism prayers were used against the cocaine trafficker Pablo Escobar, who was killed by Colombian special forces (aided by U.S. technology) in 1993. 

For people who do not believe in the supernatural, Sanabria said, "I invite you to go alone to a cemetery at three in the morning, in the dark. I swear to you, Vicky [interviewer Vicky Davila], that they are not going. In other words, they do not have the courage to go because the soul knows what it is going to face at three in the morning in a cemetery."

Asked what the person will face, Sanabria said, "A very strong presence of souls."

Sanabria, 51, has served in the Colombian intelligence and police services for 33 years. In August 2022, he was appointed Director General of the National Police.