From neighborhoods near the newly named Portal de la Resistencia, they have denounced the onslaught of the Esmad against the population. | Photo: EFE

Bogota, May 31 (RHC)-- The Colombian capital recorded on Sunday another night of repression by the Mobile Anti-Riot Squad (ESMAD) in the area of Portal de las Americas.  According to witnesses of the police action, at least 11 people were injured and four were detained by repressive forces.

Eye-witnesses have also reported that plain clothes police have fired at demonstrators from unmarked cars, a practice that has been repeated in the cities of Cali, Popayán and others.  From neighborhoods near the recently named Portal de la Resistencia, they have denounced the onslaught of ESMAD against the peaceful protests, mainly in the neighborhood of Chicalá.

Despite the call of human rights organizations to stop the repression, the police forces and the ESMAD have completely ignored this request.  This Sunday's meeting between the representatives of the National Strike Committee and the Colombian Government ended without any progress to put an end to the social crisis in the country.

During the meeting, the representatives of the National Strike Committee demanded the repeal of the decree of militarization of several departments of the country, while the Government insisted on reinforcing the police and military presence.

The National Strike Committee denounced that the government of Ivan Duque continues without establishing a negotiation process with the social sectors that agglutinate part of the petitions demanded in the streets.

The Temblores platform indicated that up to May 28 there were 1,133 victims of physical violence by the police, as well as 43 homicides allegedly committed by members of the security forces, 1,445 arbitrary detentions against demonstrators, 22 victims of sexual aggression and 648 violent interventions in the framework of peaceful protests.