Blogger Evan writes about the current situation in Colombia and why people are protesting. He also explains why it is important and necessary that we protect the protestors. — Editor-in-Chief Roman Rickwood
By Evan Spry, Politics Editor
It has been over four years since the Colombian government signed a peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), ending a five-decade long conflict that affected every part of Colombian society. 2016 was supposed to be the start of a long and peaceful process of implementing the people’s ideas into the government with cooperation from the Colombian establishment. Unfortunately, broken promises on both sides have fostered the rise of the far-right in the government and dissent from the people on the streets. The current figurehead of this right wing movement in Colombian government is Ivan Duque.
Duque formerly served in the Colombian Senate where he opposed and condemned the peace agreement with the FARC (britannica.com). As a self described “extreme centrist,” Duque fits right into the Democratic Center, the right-wing political party he represents. This party’s main stance is its aggressive anti-rebel approach.
Unsurprisingly, this vehemently anti-rebel approach has led to a stagnation in the cooperation between former fighters made up of different rebel factions. And, with right-wing government and current poverty reminding Colombians why they rebelled in the first place, tension rose. As the boiling point was almost reached, COVID-19 hit, and everyone was forced indoors. The pandemic-related pause on the economy was destructive to the already wavering economic situation, causing more and more people to become impoverished. And, as soon as Colombians were allowed back on the streets, they went. But not to work, to protest. The poverty that many Colombians live in was exacerbated by a new tax law aimed at stimulating the economy. This new law would only raise taxes on basic goods and services such as fuel, public services, and pensions/wages. Obviously, this didn’t sit well with the average Colombian, so they took to the streets. Since the protests started on April 28th, thousands of demonstrators have participated in protests all around the country (apnews.com).
The Colombian government did end up repealing the controversial tax bill that raised prices on everyday commodities, but they didn’t fix the wider issue of poverty that many Colombians experience. This led people to continue protesting, which in turn led to more confrontations with the police and Colombian armed forces. Keep in mind, many of these policing forces were under the command of right-wing anti-communists that saw the protests as an act of rebellion. In order to stop the rebellion, these officials, like Ivan Duque, ordered the police to treat the protesters like rebels. This meant excessive use of force, police brutality, unlawful arrests, and even killings. According to Reuters, “Local advocacy group Temblores says 40 protesters have allegedly been killed by police, while Human Rights Watch said it has received 46 credible reports of protest deaths and verified 13” (reuters.com). Fortunately, amid all the unrest, certain communities have grown closer together. The third largest city in Colombia, Cali, has faced the brunt of the violence between protesters and security forces with local indigenous groups stepping in to support and protect the protesters. The support Colombians are providing for each other against the government has even inspired Colombian mayors including that of Cali to condemn the federal government’s actions and address the issues facing Colombians. According to Colombia Reports, “Mayor Jorge Ivan Ospina urged the president to visit Cali to address the ‘political problem of a national nature’ that has manifested itself most violently in Cali, which is also reporting food shortages.”
This fracturing of the government is showing us how serious the situation in Colombia is. If Ivan Duque really cared about the Colombian people, he would step down from office and let someone else (that is more competent) lead Colombia. Hopefully, the cooperation between local governments, activists, and indigenous groups will unite Colombia and lead it down a stable path. If not, the cycle of authoritarian right-wingers will stay in power, jeopardizing any hope of a prosperous Colombia.
Editor-in-Chief: Roman Rickwood
Sources:
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ivan-Duque