Among the dead was a police officer. Violent crackdown on protests by police sparks international outcry.
At least 42 people have been killed, including a police officer, in anti-government protests in Colombia since April 28, the violent repression of which has sparked international outcry.
The ombudsman, an independent public authority responsible for the protection of human rights, spoke of “41 citizens” and “one member of the law enforcement” dead during the past thirteen days. An earlier report by the authorities put the death toll at 27.
For its part, the Ministry of Defense, to which the police belong, counts 849 members of the law enforcement forces who have been wounded, 12 from bullets, and 716 civilians who have been wounded, without specifying how many of them from bullets.
These are the bloodiest mass mobilizations against the government of right-wing President Ivan Duque since the massive demonstrations of 2019 and those of 2020 against police barbarism.
The scale of the mobilizations is unprecedented in a country not very accustomed to social protest, where much of the population has fallen into poverty due to the impact of the new coronavirus pandemic. A country that, after all, is having a hard time turning the page on the decades-long civil war, despite the 2016 peace agreement with the hitherto rebel organization Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
For their part, the NGOs Temblores and Indepaz report at least 47 deaths, including “39 due to police violence”.
Allegations of abuse by law enforcement, documenting many videos uploaded to social networking sites, are fueling street anger.
A first meeting Monday (May 10th) between the government and the National Strike Commission, which organizes the protests, did not end the crisis that sparked a bill to raise taxes to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on the economy.
The country of about 50 million people is mourning almost 79,000 dead because of COVID-19.
President Duchess appeared to be sympathetic to “disproportionate use of force” by law enforcement, Jennifer Pedrasa, a student leader and member of the commission, called for new demonstrations today.
The government commissioner for peace, Miguel Sebagios, assured on Tuesday (11/05) speaking to radio station W that “police abuse” is not only “condemned, but will end in justice”, but insisted that crimes are committed “by citizens who injure other citizens” and members of “law enforcement”.
Five police officers on hand
Colombian police announced on Monday (May 10th) that five of its members have been made available, while another 62 are being investigated for the violent manner in which they acted.
Although the tax reform bill was withdrawn on May 2nd, mass mobilization continues, both against police repression and to address the government’s call for a change of direction, at a time when poverty now affects 42.5% of citizens. , inequalities are widening, corruption remains unabated and armed violence is on the rise.
In addition to the daily rallies, which after nightfall often erupt with clashes between protesters and riot police, many cities are being tested by protest blocs, such as Kali (southwest), the epicenter of the crisis, where are noticeable shortcomings.
On Tuesday (11/05) the death of two men who remained in critical condition for several days was announced.
Lucas Villa, a 37-year-old yoga teacher, was shot and wounded during a peaceful march on May 5 in Pereira (central). President Duke condemned his death and demanded through Twitter that “those responsible” be punished “with the full weight of the law”.
For its part, the NGO Lazos de Dignidad announced the death of 20-year-old Alejandro Sapata, “who had been seriously injured by members of ESMAD”, the special police riot police unit, during a May 1st demonstration in Bogota.
The mayor of the city, Claudia Lopez, stressed that this is the first death in the capital after the mass mobilizations began and promised that an investigation will be carried out.
The United Nations, the European Union, the Organization of American States (OAS) and several governments, including the United States, have denounced the use of disproportionate force by law enforcement during the protests.
