The new mural resembles the original one painted in Bogotá. It features a yellow background along with white, red, and black colors. It also depicts the faces of five Colombian military commanders who played significant roles in the country’s military operations. While this is a nationwide issue, the artist(s) made this mural specific to Huila, the region where Neiva is located.
Beyond posing a question, this ¿Quién dio la orden? mural presents facts that many still deny and that Neiva’s street artists seek to expose. For instance, the black flag with “281” represents the number of false positives that occurred in Huila, while the “6,402” flag represents the unofficial number of false positives uncovered throughout the country. Additionally, the mural highlights that there are 19 individuals who remain unidentified.
Written in black and red towards the top of the piece, the phrase “No son solo cifras” translates to “They are not just numbers.” This is a common expression used when discussing false positives given the dehumanization of victims and their families by the government, media, and other groups across Colombia.
In an attempt to assign responsibility to those accountable for this shameful chapter in the country’s history, the artists wrote the names of Huila’s false positives within the silhouettes of the Colombian military commanders. Additionally, the mural seeks to humanize and commemorate the lives lost by including phrases in white such as “I am a student,” “I am a son,” “I am a farmer,” “I am a parent,” and more.
The new mural demonstrates that the artist(s) has conducted thorough research and wants the audience to be aware of essential data and other facts about state violence. In addition, it provides the audience with data and a visual reference to what such times meant to Colombians. Unlike the previous piece about education, this is not only a call to action but also an act of remembrance, commemoration, and resistance against a government that has tried— and continues to try— to hide the truth.
So, why is it still a question? Perhaps because the case remains open. Despite overwhelming evidence proving that more than 6,400 civilians were killed by the Colombian military and falsely presented as guerrillas killed in combat, many— especially the Colombian right wing— still deny that it happened. This piece urges the audience to continue asking, Who gave the order? To not forget, to not give up until justice is achieved. It is also an invitation to think critically and serves as a powerful example of how street art can report what is happening on the ground when mainstream media fails to do so.
Crime and Vandalism in the Streets
Though the previous pieces were very complex in both meaning and appearance, there is no right or wrong way to create street art. Another common practice in street art is writing on walls, which was perhaps the most commonly observed form around Neiva’s streets. The following are just a few examples of messages with which Neiva’s locals have chosen to fill their streets and public spaces: “En Colombia el salario mínimo es vandalismo” (“In Colombia, the minimum wage is vandalism”), “El arte no es un crimen” (“Art is not a crime”), and “Caídos pero no vencidos 28M a las calles” (“Fallen but not defeated, May 28, to the streets”).
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