The roar of the national strike that began on April 28 still reverberates throughout Colombia, while the negotiation table between the government and the protest leaders seems frozen and anxiety about the collective future grows.
It is time to overcome the social debacle, save democracy, recover the economy, reconcile Colombia and chart a new route to live in peace.
Colombia is in a perverse zero-sum game, in which while the extremes tighten the rope, the defeated is society.
Uncertainty prevails, discouragement takes hold of people, social issues collapse, the economy goes into decline and fear reigns as a paralyzing factor in political action.
The toxicity of political language masterfully oils the leap into another abyss of perplexity.
For this reason, the country must be directed towards a solution to overcome the historical deficit of equity, inclusion and development.
It is indisputable that the Covid-19 impacted all the forecasts, obstructing, for example, the fulfillment of the Development Plans.
A score prior to the pandemic that cannot be the answer.
It is a priority to adjust development and investment plans with broad citizen participation.
The legislative agenda is also not in tune with what is happening on the street. While Congress legislates remotely, the country is spinning at exorbitant speeds demanding institutional responses to profound failures in the economic, political and social model that have not been addressed. The new generations are on the front lines of a protest that has been strongly repressed and responded to with little empathy. The solution to the acute crisis requires realistic solutions based on democratic constitutionality. It is time to march together towards structural reforms postponed for decades. Let's shorten the path by taking the first step now.
Colombia is immersed in a perfect storm that, if it is not resolved correctly, democracy can be carried away. Populism and authoritarianism lurk, polarization does not stop, the country bleeds, poverty grows, unemployment does not decrease. The violation of human rights has put Colombia in the eye of the international community. The pandemic deepened the problems and today we are more vulnerable. The disconnect between society and politics grows, while social leadership expresses itself in the streets. It hurts that the protest, which is peaceful during the day, is covered by abuse and vandalism at night.
Against this background, many have begun to lose confidence that agreements that cause immediate changes will emerge from the strike negotiating table.
So what to do to overcome this crisis?
The answer is simple: apply the Constitution, strengthen democracy, and empower citizen voices.
It is time to listen, understand, propose and act.
Colombia, unlike Chile, does not need a constituent but it must go to the primary constituent to legitimize the reforms.
Reaching that goal goes through the ballot box and the tools for citizen participation that are in the Political Charter.
It is time to put the issues on the negotiating table in the appropriate constitutional setting: a popular consultation on the great social reforms that Colombia needs.
A popular consultation with a free citizen initiative, so that society has the option of defining the guidelines in terms of social equity, economic reactivation, and the required agreement. A consultation that includes the unanimous expression of rejection of violence and human rights violations; the silence of arms and the repudiation of justice by one's own hand.
A popular consultation for citizens to express themselves on the necessary policies in fields such as: the productive inclusion of young people and the creation of opportunities; basic income and the strengthening of social protection; access and quality of the right to health; job creation and decent work; equity with women; justice reform; the reform of the police towards their approach to citizenship; return to the field and food security; recognition and diversity actions; and the institutionalization of social dialogue to arbitrate social conflict.
A popular consultation as a tool to transform Colombia and leave hatred behind, overcoming obstacles that have prevented the major reforms that fuel discontent and citizen protest. The ballot boxes will be the point of convergence. It will also be a peaceful process against fear, uncertainty and mistrust. A political solution in the hands of the citizens.
But it is imperative to uncheck this route from electoral ambitions and from the 2022 electoral process. Today's urgency is not to feed anyone's puffiness and presidential pretensions, but rather to open a space of unity that allows solidifying a national agreement on the route and content of reforms. To get out of the Manichaeism of partisan ideologization, the country's social sectors must stimulate national and local citizen platforms and movements that channel so much energy towards the necessary reforms, with the new leaderships promoted by the youth.
You have to regain your sanity and calm.
The victory of young people 30 years ago was the Constitution of 1991. The historical legacy of young people today is to make possible an agenda of profound social reforms, which have to take shape at the polls through a popular consultation of citizens' initiative.
That is a viable, institutional and immediate solution that is built with the collective leadership that today flourishes in the streets of Colombia.
We will not squander this great opportunity.
Fernando Carrillo Flórez is former Attorney General of the Nation of Colombia