Organized Students in Colombia Denounce Police Brutality

Through a communiqué, it detailed that this afternoon several young people, among them members of this organization were carrying out a cultural protest in Puerto Resistencia in the city, part of the Valle del Cauca department.

The group said that the police fired directly at the youths and wounded one in the head and leg.

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Given this, some students decided to move from Puerto Resistencia to Paso del Comercio, where they were met with pistol and rifle shots by the police, it emphasized.

In this sense, it demands that the Cali mayor's office provide guarantees for exercising the right to social protest and the life of the demonstrators.

The organization also demands the immediate withdrawal of the security forces at the points mentioned above, promoting investigations and opening the necessary processes to clarify the facts and condemn those responsible.

"The National Association of High School Students A.N.D.E.S denounces the acts of violence exercised by the public forces towards the youth of Cali in the framework of the National Strike. As an organization, we demand guarantees for social protest."

The association holds the governor of Valle del Cauca, Clara Luz Roldán, the mayor of Cali, Jorge Iván Ospina, the commander of the Metropolitan Police, Juan Carlos León, the Minister of Defense, Diego Molano, and the President Iván Duque responsible for the violation of the right to life and human integrity against those exercising their right to protest.

Anti-government mobilizations continue in Colombia even though last Monday, the National Strike Committee decided to temporarily interrupt the protest initiated on April 28 against the government's neoliberal policies.

In a press conference, representatives of this collective indicated that they made such a decision due to the attitude of the administration of Iván Duque, who ignored the pre-agreement on minimum guarantees for peaceful social protest, and due to the violence against demonstrators.

Nevertheless, many social sectors, mainly young people, assure that they will continue their protests against the government in the country's streets.