Thousands of Colombians take to the streets in protest

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Thousands of Colombians took to the streets of the country on Wednesday, April 28, with chants, dances and music to protest against the tax reform presented by the government of President Iván Duque, in a massive day that progresses peacefully, with the exception of Cali where there has been unrest and looting.

The roads were gradually filled with demonstrators who left from different concentration points in their cities in a day called by the workers’ centers to demand that the Congress scuttle the tax reform that mainly affects the middle class with new taxes.

Citizens have also joined the demonstration from their homes where they hit pots and pans to make their discontent with the project felt, a noise that since the 2019 protests became a symbol of the claims towards the Government.

The day began in cities such as Bogotá, Cali, Barranquilla, Medellin or Bucaramanga, whose main avenues were filled with walkers who with flags, posters and musical instruments express their rejection of the tax reform bill presented last week in Congress.

The streets were flooded with color and dances led by young people and representatives of civil organizations and unions wearing masks because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Some have also joined the protest on their motorcycles and cars adorned with signs inscribed with messages such as “For life, health and democracy” or “No to the tax reform”.

MASSIVE DEMONSTRATION

The demonstrations are taking place despite the authorities’ recommendations for people to avoid crowds because of the risk of contracting Covid-19 at a time when the country is experiencing a health emergency due to the severity of the third peak of the pandemic.

“Great democratic mobilization of the national strike -and in such difficult conditions due to the pandemic- confirms that Colombians are fed up with Iván Duque, his tax reform and his other regressive measures,” expressed opposition senator Jorge Enrique Robledo.

Several social sectors have celebrated the turnout at the mobilization, since last night a Colombian court ordered as a “provisional precautionary measure” the deferral of protests for as long as “herd immunity with the vaccination” against covid-19 is not achieved.

The president of the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores (CUT), Francisco Maltés, explained to Efe that “in the midst of this circumstance (the economic crisis caused by the pandemic) they want to introduce a tax reform to aggravate the suffering of Colombians.”

This reform, justified the union leader, seeks to use 60% of the proceeds to pay the debt and “for the social sector scarcely 20%.”

UNREST IN CALI

Although the day has passed peacefully in almost all the country, in Cali, capital of the department of Valle del Cauca (southwest), the protest began with the demolition of the city founder’s statue, the Spanish conquistador Sebastián de Belalcázar.

Misak Indians arrived this morning to a hill in the neighborhood of La Arboleda, in Cali, where with ropes they threw to the ground the cast bronze statue installed in a viewpoint that bears the name of the conqueror and is one of the symbols of the city.

The group of demonstrators ended up confronting the police who tried to control the situation and later the clashes were repeated in other areas of the city by attacks on commercial premises and public transport vehicles.

The acts of vandalism, in which even the office of the National Tax and Customs Directorate (DIAN) was set on fire, were the highlight of the demonstration in that city.

“Faced with acts of vandalism presented in Cali, I gave instructions to send 4 more  of ESMAD (Police Mobile Anti-Riot Squad) units. We will not tolerate violent acts in any part of the country,” said Minister of Defense Diego Molano.

The city authorities also announced that the curfew, decreed due to the coronavirus pandemic since 8 PM, will begin today at 1 PM and will be extended to next Sunday until 5 AM.