Colombia's Museo de Memoria Faces Uncertainty After Far-Right Presidential Win

Construction has resumed on Bogotá's Museo de Memoria de Colombia, a project dedicated to victims of the country's armed conflict, but the recent election of right-wing lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella as president threatens its future. The museum was over 70% complete when work restarted months ago, after a three-year halt due to contractual disputes, legal battles, and funding shortages. De la Espriella, who takes office on August 7, campaigned on a hardline security platform and reducing the state, raising fears he may weaken or merge the Centro Nacional de Memoria Histórica (CNMH), the agency overseeing the museum. Human-rights groups have voiced concerns. The museum's director, Adriana María González Maxcyclak, says it is legally protected beyond political cycles and expects a partial opening in 2027 with 56,000 sq. ft, full completion by 2029. The project originated from the 2011 Victims and Land Restitution Law and was reinforced by the 2016 peace agreement with the Farc. New funding in 2025 allowed construction to resume in March 2026 with a new contractor. The museum's first exhibition, "Conflict," will cover key moments from the 1930s to 2016, focusing on experience and participation. The building, on Avenida El Dorado, will include a memorial wall for forced disappearance victims, a bookstore, café, and a permanent gallery. Critics like Andreas Huyssen warn that civil-society involvement is crucial to avoid recycling official narratives.