BOGOTÁ.- Thousands of people protested this Wednesday in the main cities of Colombia against the government of Gustavo Petroin rejection of his social reform projects and the violence that persists in the country despite the so-called “total peace” promoted by the president and the peace negotiations with armed groups.
Under the slogan “Petro Out!”, a crowd of people dressed in white toured the historic center of Bogotá and marched towards Plaza de Bolívar.
“There is a rampant insecurity in the fields and in the city. The people are tired and that is why” we marchsaid Luis Chaparro, a retired soldier dressed in camouflage.
In the cities of Cali, Medellín, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga and other capitals, protesters joined in with Colombian flags and chants against the president, whose popularity is around 35% according to the pollster Invamer.
“We are in the middle of two threats, on the one hand, violence, criminals, and on the other the absolute ineptitude of Gustavo Petro’s government,” said Miguel Uribe, senator of the opposition Democratic Center party, organizer of the protest.
Uribe added that the march “transcends ideologies.” In addition, he cited the numerous details that have caused controversy in the Petro government.
“Here it is not about defending an ideological position; it is about defending the country,” he stated and commented that the marches constitute “the best opportunity to go out and demand that congressmen not be complicit with the Government, which is harming the country voting on three reforms that are openly inconvenient.”
Protesters claim that Petro’s “total peace” is not working because insecurity is increasing. They are also protesting the cost of living and freedom of the press, which they say is threatened.
Other opposition leaders, such as the former mayor of Bogotá, Enrique Peñalosa, were also present at the large rally. Peñalosa stated that Petro “is doing great damage to the country” and detailed arguments such as the increase in crime and health reform.
“Beyond our differences, we are an immense majority who believe that Petro is doing great harm to the country; Crime is rampant, the reforms that he is proposing are doing very serious damage to the health of young people in the future,” he indicated.
Peñalosa expressed his concern that the country’s current president is trying to find some mechanism to remain in office beyond 2026, when his term ends.
“They are incompetent, irresponsible and, above all, what is most worrying is that they will do any trick to stay beyond 2026,” said Peñalosa.
Unfulfilled promises
Petro came to power in August 2022 as the first left-wing president in the history of Colombia. His proposals to reform the pension, health and labor systems are discussed in heated debates in Congress, where he lost the majorities.
The president assured in a public event that those who protest are part of “forces” that do not “want to change the country” or lose their “privileges.”
The government aims to reduce private participation in the provision of health services and the payment of pensions, arguing to “expand” benefits to workers.
In parallel, the president is committed to defusing six decades of armed conflict through supposed peace negotiations with illegal organizations.
But the dialogues are advancing amid setbacks with the insurgents of the National Liberation Army (ELN) and the dissidents of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) who rejected the 2016 peace agreement.
Violations of the agreed ceasefires, temporary suspensions of talks due to disagreements between the parties and violence that continues to hit the countryside and cities make the demobilization of thousands of combatants difficult.
Source: With information from AFP / Semana
