The protests in Colombia began with renewed vigor after the unions left the dialogue with the government and the resumption of a national strike, as well as the death of a teenager during a demonstration – mobilization of traffic was noted on Wednesday morning in five major cities of the country.
“We have agreed on the need to bring to court hooligans and vandals, while having all the necessary information (about the progress of the protests),” President Ivan Duque said on Wednesday morning before the start of the next mass protests.
According to the president, the authorities do not intend to prevent or prohibit citizens from protesting peacefully, but they must ensure the safety of residents and their needs for moving around the city and using public transport.
According to local media, hundreds of people are already taking part in the protests that began in Bogota, Cali, Medellin, Cartagena and Barranquilla.
In Medellin, student protests began with a moment of silence and laying flowers in memory of a demonstrator who died recently. In several cities, protesters blocked roads and concentrated people on central streets and squares. Local authorities establish fences to control the flow of people. No collisions were reported in the morning.
Earlier, the country’s authorities to cool the protest sentiments adopted a law that reduces taxes for the poor and launched a national dialogue to determine the social policy of the state. Within the framework of this format, government meetings have already been held with the heads of municipalities and mayors, trade unions and social movements, representatives of regulatory bodies and businesses.