Part of protests over responses to the COVID-19 pandemic
Top to bottom, clockwise: Protesters in Cali on 1 May 2021, a group of protesters sitting at the entrance of St. Joseph Church in El Poblado, a protester washing tear gas from his eyes, human rights defenders observing the response of authorities
Date
28 April 2021 – 31 December 2021 (3 years, 2 months and 2 days)
Location
Colombia
Caused by
Government's health and tax reform proposals and handling of the COVID-19 pandemic
Corruption,[1] police brutality, and violence
Goals
Withdrawal of health and tax reforms
Resignation of President Iván Duque, Minister of Finance Alberto Carrasquilla, Minister of Defense Diego Molano Aponte, General Eduardo Zapateiro (commander of the National Army), and General Jorge Luis Vargas (director of the National Police)
Trial of former President Álvaro Uribe Vélez for crimes against humanity, among others
Reform of the National Police and dismantling of the Mobile Anti-Disturbance Squadron (ESMAD)
Compliance of the Colombian peace process with the FARC and the agreements ensuing the 2019–2020 Colombian protests
Resignation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Claudia Blum, Minister of Finance Alberto Carrasquilla and his entire economic team
Announcement of free tuition for strata 1, 2, and 3 for the 2021–2022 semester in public universities
Withdrawal of hosting rights for the 2021 Copa América by Colombia
Alleged police brutality, sexual violence, and missing people
Parties
Protesters
Comité Nacional de Paro
Central Union of Workers (CUT)
Central General de Trabajadores (CGT)
Central de Trabajadores de Colombia (CTC)
Federación Colombiana de Trabajadores de la Educación (Fecode)
Dignidad Agropecuaria
Cruzada Camionera
Civilians
Government of Colombia
National Army of Colombia
National Police of Colombia
ESMAD
Lead figures
Social leaders and government opposition
President Iván Duque Vice President Marta Lucía Ramírez Minister of National Defence Diego Molano Former President Álvaro Uribe[2]
Number
Tens of thousands
Thousands
Casualties
Death(s)
26 (Colombian government)[3]
75 (NGO estimates)[4]
89 missing[5]
Injuries
800+
Arrested
500+
A series of protests began in Colombia on 28 April 2021 against increased taxes, corruption, and health care reform proposed by the government of President Iván Duque. The tax initiative was introduced to expand funding to Ingreso Solidario, a universal basic income social program established in April 2020 to provide relief during the COVID-19 pandemic in Colombia, while the legislative Bill 010 proposed several changes in the health care system in Colombia.[6][7][8][9][10]
Although the courts had anticipated the protests would be widespread, having annulled all existing permits out of fear of further spread of COVID-19, the protests began in earnest anyway on 28 April 2021. In large cities such as Bogotá and Cali, thousands to tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets, in some cases clashing with authorities, resulting in at least six deaths. Protests continued to grow over the coming days, and amidst promises by the president to rework his tax plan, they culminated into a large protest on 1 May, International Workers' Day. On 2 May, President Duque declared that he would fully withdraw his new tax plan, though no new concrete plans were announced. Despite policy adjustments, protests continued, fueled by intense crackdowns and reports of police brutality.[11] By 21 May, protesters had alleged more than 2,000 instances of police brutality, including 27 cases of sexual violence, and around 200 people had been reported missing.[12]
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and Human Rights Watch noted abuses by police against protesters, while former President Álvaro Uribe called on the people to support the actions of police and soldiers during the protests.[13]
^Garcia Cano, Regina; Suárez, Astrid (7 May 2021). "Corruption, economic woes spark deadly protests in Colombia". Associated Press. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
^"Álvaro Uribe llama al Ejército a que utilice las armas en las protestas en Colombia". El Pais. 30 April 2021. Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
^"Lo que dejan nueve días de protestas en Colombia". CNN (in Spanish). 7 May 2021. Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
^Vacía, La Silla (25 May 2021). "Las ONG son más transparentes que la Fiscalía con las cifras de muertos en el paro". www.lasillavacia.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 September 2022.
^"42 killed in Colombia protests, human rights agency says". AP News. 11 May 2021.
^Semana (29 April 2021). "Paro Nacional: así titularon los medios internacionales la jornada de protesta en Colombia". Semana.com Últimas Noticias de Colombia y el Mundo (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 1 May 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
^"Miles de personas marchan en Colombia en protesta por la reforma tributaria en medio de un grave repunte de casos de coronavirus". BBC News Mundo (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 1 May 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
^"Thousands march in Colombia in fourth day of protests against tax plan". Reuters. 1 May 2021. Archived from the original on 1 May 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
^Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Armando Benedetti anuncia que pedirá el retiro de la reforma a la salud". infobae (in European Spanish). 2 May 2021. Archived from the original on 2 May 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
^Taub, Amanda (19 May 2021). "From Colombia to U.S., Police Violence Pushes Protests Into Mass Movements". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
^Cite error: The named reference Universities was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^colombiareports (1 May 2021). "Colombia's former president 'glorifying violence': Twitter". Colombia News | Colombia Reports. Archived from the original on 1 May 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
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