Colombia's National Strike Against Tax Reform Moves Forward

Despite a ban on marches, Colombians took to the streets to stage the 24-hour national strike against President Ivan Duque's tax reform.

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On Wednesday, authorities registered blockades and rallies at over 50 sites in Bogota, including the National University, Monument to the Fallen Heroes, Mayor Shopping Center, Hippies Park, Transmilenio Portals, National Park, University of Cundinamarca, District Planetarium, Santander Park, and Pedagogical University.

The National Strike Committee indicated that the citizen protest is being carried out peacefully despite some acts of repression carried out by the Colombian police. The mobilizations are also aimed at demanding the Duque Administration to implement effective measures to stop the systematic assassination of social leaders and human rights defenders.

In rural areas of Colombia, the protest is also being felt. In communities such as El Cairo, Cajibio, and Caucan, farmers have carried out intermittent blockades of the Pan-American Highway.

Even though the Administrative Court of Cundinamarca ordered the suspension of the protests called for April 28, the national strike is successfully taking place in municipalities such as Cali, Chiquinquira, Tunja, Duitama, Sogamoso, Soata, Soraca, and Puerto Boyaca.

Central Union of Workers (CUT) President Francisco Maltes pointed out that citizens are exercising their right to protest against neoliberal policies.

"This right is not subject to prior permission or authorization. Nor can it be suspended even in states of exception. This has been recognized by the Constitutional Court's jurisprudence," he recalled.

Social organizations denounced that conservative sectors are using social networks to execute an operation of "psychological terror" and discredit the national strike. In this context, Cali mayor Jorge Ospina issued an ordinance that would allow him to use the army to enforce a curfew.