In Bogota’s central Bolivar Plaza workers and students protested against President Ivan Duque’s social and economic policies, they also urged people to come out and hold demonstrations amid the economic crisis and recent brutalities by police.
The major unions organized a caravan of bicycles, motorcycles, and cars for the labor ministry to follow all the COVID guidelines and restrictions making masks compulsory and ban on the huge gatherings.
The protesters were seen throwing stones at the police outside the seat of the country’s top courts and police used tear gas to disperse the crowd.
A 19-year-old student recalled the incidents when a man was killed in detention in Bogota and 13 were killed in Soacha and hundreds injured he said that “I’m protesting for my rights because it’s not fair for them to take someone’s life. There are so much aggression and corruption.”
Bogota’s mayor encouraged people to return home early as transport services were shut at 8 p.m.
This year, the coronavirus stymied plans to restart the protests, as more than 765,000 Colombians were infected and more than 24,000 died. The country gradually loosened lockdown measures between March and the end of August.
Urban unemployment surged to nearly 25% because of the lockdown and the government predicts an economic contraction of 5.5% this year.
The downturn could galvanize protesters who believe potential pension and tax reforms will hurt workers. The government has not yet announced specific reform plans.