Daneidy Barrera Rojas, widely known as Epa Colombia, was transferred from the Escuela de Carabineros in Bogotá to La Picaleña prison in Ibagué in early August 2026. The move came shortly after Abelardo de la Espriella assumed the presidency, amid a broader prison-transfer policy attributed to his administration. El Tiempo reported discussion of concerns about privileges Barrera Rojas reportedly enjoyed at her previous facility, including access to cosmetic surgery. Those claims have featured in public debate about the transfer.
Barrera is serving a sentence of 63 months and 15 days, about five years and two months, for events during the 22 November 2019 protests in Bogotá. In January 2025, the Supreme Court of Justice’s Criminal Cassation Chamber formalized her conviction for aggravated damage to another person’s property and disruption of public transport service, finding that she had incited crimes for terrorist purposes. Videos showing Barrera at a TransMilenio station while infrastructure was being damaged formed part of the evidence described in coverage of the case.
Before her transfer to La Picaleña, Barrera had been held at El Buen Pastor and later at the Escuela de Carabineros. Her defense pursued changes to her detention conditions and other legal measures, but she remained in custody. The relocation changed where she serves her sentence, not the term imposed by the court.
Shortly before the transfer, Barrera posted a video on Instagram showing herself walking alone on the facility grounds. In her message, she described the day as emotionally heavy, called for strength to endure the situation and expressed hope that the truth would prevail. The post was deleted within hours, after attracting reactions and messages of support from followers.
On 30 September 2026, Barrera and TransMilenio reached a repair agreement that a judge approved. The agreement concerns reparation for damage connected to the 2019 events, but its approval did not itself authorize her release or automatically convert her sentence to home detention. Any change to how she serves her sentence would require the relevant judicial and penitentiary procedures. Barrera remains at La Picaleña, and no public release date has been confirmed.
Her partner, Karol Samantha Barbosa, has shared messages on Instagram about Barrera’s possible return home, including: “One day less until she comes back.” The statement reflects the family’s hopes, but the repair agreement does not end the prison sentence. Barrera has also remained active on social media and continued managing her haircare business remotely, keeping public attention on the case and questions of celebrity and equal treatment in Colombia’s prison system.
Barrera Rojas’s case is not the only recent example of legal and political tension surrounding prominent figures. Spanish authorities have also faced international scrutiny over extradition requests, including the case of a US activist detained in Ibiza, which highlighted the complexities of high-profile detentions and political influence. For more, see the coverage of the extradition case of Fergie Chambers in Ibiza.
La Picaleña is in Ibagué, in Colombia’s Tolima department. Barrera’s transfer followed her conviction and formed part of the administration of her custodial sentence. The case continues to draw attention to detention conditions and the equal application of the law.
