it seems that we are facing a revolution that is starting in Colombia, there are strong protests in Colombia in cities, municipalities and roads of the country accompanied by protests in ]the embassies of other countries such as Spain, Panama, Argentina, France, Portugal, United Kingdom, Sweden, Chile , Canada, the United States, Germany, Australia and New Zealand and other countries even in front of the United Nations headquarters in New York and Geneva (Switzerland).
The protests were called mainly, with the aim of suppressing the tax reform project proposed by the government of Iván Duque, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. but little by little the protests intensified as the government began to forcefully repress the protesters using force through the so called police. riot police and deployed troops who used tear gas, water blasting machines and firearms leading large attacks to the protesters causing deaths, injuries, disappearances and even rapes were recorded.
Among the causes of the protests we can find the Tax Reform that we have mentioned above, which aims to increase taxes, increase VAT, affecting basic necessities, and basic public services (water, electricity, natural gas, public telephony) funeral services and other services so far exempted, The Health and Pension Reform: Proposing changes in the system of health promoting entities, Social discontent, poverty, inequality, corruption, the mismanagement of the pandemic that left in total evidence the government's inability to exercise correctly, and the Police violence, among other causes
Small chronology:
On April 27, peasant mobilizations against glyphosate spraying began in Anorí (Antioquia).
On April 28 there were protests, artistic demonstrations, cacerolazos in Bogotá; Cali, Pereira, Pasto, Neiva, Popayán, Cartagena, Santa Marta, Bucaramanga, Ibagué, Villavicencio, Soacha and Medellín, among other cities and municipalities. they recorded several clashes.
On April 29, the second day of strike with social mobilizations in Bogotá, Cali and Bucaramanga and other cities in the country. Peasants and transporters blocked the Bogotá - Tunja road. There were blockages on the Bogotá - Facatativá road.
On April 30, the third day of protests in Cali Bogotá, Pereira, Ibagué, Medellín and other towns in the country. The union of the Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca (CRIC) to the protests in Cali was announced.
On May 1, on the fourth day of the national strike, there were mobilizations and clashes in the cities of Medellín, Cali, Bogotá (transmilenio portals, center and north of the city, residence of Iván Duque in the town of Kennedy police officers They shoot protesters), Ibagué (a young man is killed in the middle of the clashes) and Bucaramanga. Protesters demolished the statues of Gilberto Alzate Avendaño in Manizales, and of Antonio Nariño in Pasto. In France, Spain and Canada there are movements of Colombians supporting the strike en masse.
On May 2, the fifth day of protests and clashes in Bogotá, Bucaramanga, Cali (deaths are registered) and other cities. Freight transporters join the strike and block several roads in the country: Bogotá - Facatativá. Bucaramanga - San Gil, among others. the so called President Iván Duque decrees the elimination of the tax reform project. Assassinated social leader, who carried out strike activities in San Luis (Antioquia).
On May 3, on the sixth day, the Minister of Finance, Alberto Carrasquilla, and his vice minister, Juan Alberto Londoño, after a meeting with Iván Duque, present their resignation. Ultimately, José Manuel Restrepo, who was relieved as Minister of Commerce by Juan Alberto Londoño, takes over as Minister of Finance. Protests and blockades occurred in Bogotá, Barranquilla, Medellín, Bucaramanga, Villavicencio, Yopal, Cali, Neiva, other cities and roads in the country such as Bogotá - La Vega, Bogotá - El Rosal and the roads to Cali and Bucaramanga. Cartagena. The National Unemployment Committee calls for new mobilizations on May 5. Defense Minister Diego Molano accused the Dissidents of the FARC-EP and the National Liberation Army (ELN) of financing and participating violently in the protests. There is a serious situation in Cali, due to the militarization of the city, videos of clashes, abuses of authority, shootings and human rights violations are made viral.A plane flies over Miami with a message against the so called former president Álvaro Uribe. Nicolás Guerrero assassinated by ESMAD with a firearm in the protest of the passage of commerce to the north of Cali.
On May 4, on the seventh day, protests were registered in Cali, Medellín, Bogotá and other cities. The Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana matches were suspended due to the National Strike. Anonymous hacked into the page of the National Army and revealed keys of some officials. A National Police Black Hawk helicopter landed without authorization at a Bosa School in Bogotá. Some political sectors ask the government to declare a state of internal commotion.
On May 5, the eighth day of protests and clashes in Bogotá (they tried to enter the National Capitol, headquarters of the National Congress) Medellín, Cali, Popayán, Valledupar, San José del Guaviare, Mitú, Barranquilla. Blockades occurred in several ways. In Buga (Valle del Cauca) an alleged attack from a helicopter was reported, although another version is of armed men in civilian clothes firing at the helicopter. In Pereira, some protesters were shot at from a private car, the student leader Lucas Villa (who had called for pedagogy and pacifism during the protests) and the student Miguel Ciro were wounded, in they night Lucas Villa, a peaceful protester who stood out in the Colombian protests for his peculiar and striking way of protesting using humorous gestures and dancing was shot eight times.
On May 6, the ninth day of protests in Bogotá, (clashes on the station El portal Las Américas ), Bucaramanga, Cali (where confusing facts related to a truck and armed individuals were presented), Barranquilla, Riohacha, Neiva, Popayán and in other cities. Enabled road for humanitarian corridor in Cali, for food, medicine and fuel. the so called Vice President Marta Lucía Ramirez denounces the alleged interference of Nicolás Maduro in the protests.
On May 7, the tenth day of protests, in Bogotá and in other cities of the country.
On May 8, the eleventh day of protests in: Bogotá, Cali (a man who had allegedly shot protesters was arrested by the Indigenous Guard), Medellín, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga. Blockades on the Bogotá-Villavicencio road, in Huila, among other roads. The mayor of Cali, Jorge Iván Ospina; the governor of Valle del Cauca, Clara Luz Roldán; the commander of the National Army, General Enrique Zapateiro, and the Minister of Defense, Diego Molano are criminally denounced for repression. Mass disappearances denounced before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights International personalities demanded the resignation of the High Commissioner for Peace, Miguel Ceballos.
On May 9, the twelfth day of protests in: Cali (A group of armed civilians shot at members of the Indigenous Minga at the University del Valle), Bogotá, Barranquilla, Pereira, Medellín and Popayán. During the weekend, Colombians living abroad rallied in support of the strike. the so called President Iván Duque gave the order to deploy the military forces in Cali, and Iván Márquez, commander of the FARC-EP Dissidents, spoke out on the strike.
On May 10, the thirteenth day of protests in: Bogotá (at the Portal de las Américas and Portal de Suba, the blockades of the access roads to the capital were lifted), Cali (the minga announces staying in the city), Medellín, Barranquilla, Casanare, Cúcuta, and Bucaramanga. the so called President Iván Duque led a security council in Cali during the early hours of the morning. Meeting of the so called President Iván Duque with members of the National Unemployment Committee, without reaching an agreement. They are supposedly sent to the International Criminal Court, cases of police abuse during the national strike. The death of Lucas Villa is confirmed.
On May 11, the fourteenth day of protests in: Bogotá, Cali (Iván Duque visits the city at dawn), Medellín, and Cartagena The Gaitanist Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (Clan del Golfo) spoke out on the strike. According to a Datexco poll, 75% of Colombians support the national strike. It is requested to locate 168 missing persons.
On May 12, the fifteenth day of protests in: Bogotá (at the Portal of the Americas, Monument to the Heroes), Cali, Medellín, Barranquilla (around the Romelio Martínez Stadium), Cartagena, Bucaramanga, Villavicencio and Popayán. The Indigenous Minga left Cali and settled in Caldono, Cauca, in Popayán during the night the young Allison Melendez, 17 years old, is raped by 4 members of the ESMAD after being arrested, later she denounces the violation through social networks, some videos show the moment when she get arrested.
On May 13, the sixteenth day of protests in Bogotá (Portal of the Americas and effects on the drinking water supply due to blockades), Cali, Barranquilla (around the Romelio Martínez Stadium), Buga (Valle del Cauca), Popayán (A minor would have committed suicide after being arrested, abused and sexually assaulted by members of ESMAD). The strike committee agrees to negotiate with the Duque government, said meeting was scheduled for Friday, May 14. In Popayán The dead body of Allison Melendez is found after committing suicide.
On May 14, the seventeenth day of protests in Bogotá, Cali, Buga (helicopter descent at facilities of the National Learning Service SENA), Popayán and other cities in the country. The Colombian government was sued before the International Criminal Court for Crimes Against Humanity, while the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights requested permission to visit the country after various complaints of human rights violations.
On May 15, the eighteenth day of protests in Bogotá, Medellín, Tunja and Ibagué,. There is a massive march at the monument to Los Heroes, it is estimated that between 15,000 to 30,000 people attended, which ends late at night with confrontation.In other cities such as Villavicencio The march was of peasants and a mobilization day is announced May 19.
On May 16, the nineteenth day of protests and clashes on the Sogamoso - Duitama road is blocked by protesters. In Loma de la dignidad, Cali a symphonic concert was presented in support of the strike.
On May 17, the twentieth day of protests and clashes in Bogotá, Buga, Yumbo, Medellín and other cities in the country, in Barranquilla a large mobilization was carried out, mostly of women, it is estimated that it was from 800 to 1000 protesters.
On May 19, the twenty-first day of protests in Bogotá
Government responses:
April 28: the deployment of the Public Force was ordered in the cities, and curfews were decreed in several cities of the country.
April 30: the so called President Iván Duque announced the construction of a new tax reform text.
May 1: the so called President Iván Duque authorized the militarization of the cities of Colombia.
May 2: Duque announced the withdrawal of the tax reform project in the Congress of the Republic, and that he would convene political parties to carry out a new tax project, however, he did not convene opposition parties for said project.
May 3: Minister of Finance Alberto Carrasquilla and Deputy Minister of Finance Juan Alberto Londoño resigned. Shortly after, the government nominated Carrasquilla as a candidate for the presidency of the CAF - Development Bank of Latin America.
May 5: Miguel Ceballos, High Commissioner for Peace announced that a meeting would be held with the National Unemployment Committee on May 10, at the request of the latter. In the same way, he announced 11 meetings with different social, economic and political sectors of the country. Duque announced arrests and rewards for perpetrators of crimes and vandalism.
May 6: the Congress of the Republic holds a special session with alleged leaders of the National Strike.
May 7: Meeting of Iván Duque with the members of the "Coalition of Hope", led by the so called former presidential candidates Sergio Fajardo and Humberto de la Calle, and by different senators and representatives to the chamber, they met with the so called president Duque requesting an end to the repression and that he begin negotiations with the strike committee.
May 10: Meeting of the so called President Iván Duque with members of the National Unemployment Committee, without reaching an agreement.
May 11:The so called President Iván Duque announces free higher education tuition for strata 1, 2 and 3 only for the 2021-2 semester.
May 14 Brigadier General Ricardo Augusto Alarcón, commander of Police Region 4 of Popayán, affirmed in a message on Twitter that the young woman Allison Mellendez was never at the facilities. claim "The National Police allows itself to affirm categorically that it is news, apart from being false, are vile."
On May 17, a new meeting between so-called representatives of the government and the so-called National Unemployment Committee, without results. Iván Duque announced the deployment of the so-called Public Force to unblock roads in the country.
, its true this is the result of democracy, inchaa allah we will change it.