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Thousands of Colombians took to the streets of different cities in the country to protest against a tax reform presented by President Iván Duque in the midst of a pandemic, in an attempt to cover a deficit in public finances.
(Credit: JUAN BARRETO / AFP via Getty Images)
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A woman holds a poster rejecting the tax reform presented by President Iván Duque.
(Credit: JUAN BARRETO / AFP via Getty Images)
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The protests were called despite a third coronavirus spike facing the country and has several cities on red alert due to a shortage of beds in ICUs.
On Tuesday, the Administrative Court of Cundinamarca, responding to a protection action, decided that the marches on Wednesday and May 1 should be suspended due to covid-19 until there are no secure biosecurity or herd immunity protocols.
(Credit: RAUL ARBOLEDA / AFP via Getty Images)
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The demonstrations were called by workers' centrals, teachers, indigenous people and civil organizations.
(Credit: JUAN BARRETO / AFP via Getty Images)
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In Cali, protesters toppled the statue of the Spanish conqueror Sebastián de Belalcázar, located in the west of the city.
The city's Secretary of Security and Justice, Carlos Alberto Rojas, said that the statue was being guarded by the police when a group of people arrived and demolished it.
(Credit: PAOLA MAFLA / AFP via Getty Images)
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A nursing student protests in Bogotá against the reform that critics say punishes the middle class in the midst of a pandemic.
(Credit: JUAN BARRETO / AFP via Getty Images)
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Protesters are also protesting against corruption.
(Credit: JUAN BARRETO / AFP via Getty Images)
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| A bus of the state company Metro Cali was cremated amid the protests in that city. Videos on social media showed a group of people hitting, breaking glass and setting fire to one of the buses that was empty. In Cali, a curfew and dry law was decreed from 1 pm (it should begin at 8 pm) until Sunday, May 2 at 5 in the morning. In the context of the demonstrations against the tax reform, the authorities will "shield" public and private spaces with the city police and the Colombian Army. (Credit: CaliMio / Twitter)
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Defense Minister Diego Molano called on citizens to "refrain from holding public demonstrations" due to the pandemic.
(Credit: RAUL ARBOLEDA / AFP via Getty Images)
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Calling not to go out on the streets, President Duque said on Monday that "although that constitutional right is respected, it is a duty to protect life, which is a sacred right, protect health, protect those who are saving lives in the clinics of our country ".
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According to information from the Bogotá Mayor's Office, the occupation of intensive city units in the city was 92% on the day of the protest.
The protesters protested the Duque government's tax reform, which among other measures proposes to increase taxes on funeral services to 19%.
(Credit: Guillermo Legaria / Getty Images)
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According to the Minister of Finance of Colombia, Alberto Carrasquilla, the deficit puts at risk the expenses of the Nation and the subsidies for those who have lost their jobs or businesses during the pandemic.
(Credit: MANDEL NGAN / AFP via Getty Images)
(CNN) -
The mayor of Cali, Jorge Iván Ospina, confirmed this Wednesday at a press conference that a person died in confusing events related to the protests against the tax reform proposed by the Iván Duque government, but did not give further details.
The mayor said groups outside of the peaceful protest committed vandalism.
Ospina added that this type of event "blurs" the reason for the protest.
"Unfortunately one person died in unclear events related to the demonstration," he added.
It is an ambitious, audacious reform that has not gone down well, says former Colombian minister on tax reform
They advance curfew
Hours before, the Mayor's Office of Cali reported that the curfew and the dry law - which were to begin at 8 pm - will begin from 1:00 pm until Sunday at 5:00 am due to the context of the demonstrations against tax reform.
They reported on Twitter that public and private spaces will be “shielded” with the city police and the Colombian Army.
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Also with a tweet, the Metro Cali company rejected the attack on one of its units.
“One less bus that will stop running.
Public goods are for the service of the people of Cali, ”they wrote.
Videos on social media showed a group of people hitting, breaking glass and setting fire to one of the buses that was empty.
Statue of the founder of Cali demolished
In the early morning hours a group of protesters demolished the statue of the Spanish conqueror Sebastián de Belalcázar, located in the west of Cali.
Belalcázar founded Santiago de Cali in 1536, according to the city's mayor's office.
Cali