Anti-government protests have entered their third week in Colombia

Bogota, May 13 (RHC)-- Anti-government protests have entered their third week in Colombia, as union members, students, pensioners and more took to the streets to protest against recent violence and demand economic assistance in the pandemic-hit country.

Thousands of people gathered in Bogota’s Bolivar Plaza on Wednesday.  The demonstrations, which have at times turned violent, were initially driven by outrage at the Colombian government’s now-withdrawn tax reform plan.

Now, demonstrators are demanding that police be held accountable for excessive violence used during the ongoing demonstrations and calling for the withdrawal of a proposal to further privatise the country’s healthcare system.

As many as 40 people killed in connection to the protests are being investigated by the human rights ombudsman, though the exact number remains disputed. Local and international rights groups allege the toll may be higher and have blamed the police for the violence.

 
Cristian Urena, a student at the protest, told the Associated Press news agency that “the acts from the police have been a complete violation of human rights against all demonstrators and all of us who are protesting in peace in Bogota as they are in the rest of the cities.”  “The abuses by police are too frequent,” Urena said.