Prior to the tax reform being announced the people of Colombia were already on edge due to an interview with the Minister of Finanace (El Ministro de Hacienda) Alberto Carrasquilla, where he stated that the price of 12 eggs was 1.800 pesos when in reality it is double that. When the interviewer questioned if he really knew the price of an egg he replied saying that he has someone to buy his food for him which clearly highlights the status he has and the type of lifestyle he lives, which is very far from the reality for 95% of Colombian civilians.
Alberto Carrasquilla then proceeded to say that the people of Colombia could survive on 150mil pesos (£28) a month. Everyone knows this not to be true and so sparked many questions for the people of Colombia, the main one being “Does the country's minister of finance actually know the cost of living in Colombia for the majority of the population?” This interview ignited many uncertaintes for the country and outrage was on the horizon. Alberto Carrasquilla shortly resigned after the backlash received and then came the Tax Reform.
In reaction to the protests, the government of Iván Duque imposed de facto martial law in effort to repress a popular uprising against his murderous neoliberal regime. There was a national strike across Colombia on 28th April in rejection of Duque’s ultra-right package of ‘tax reforms’, also labelled the Sustainable Solidarity Bill (SIC). The government is squeezed by debt in the Covid pandemic of 600 millones de pesos, but instead of demanding debt cancellation, Duque tried to use the crisis to launch a huge assault on civil society including: • Increase VAT on staple goods and fuel • Eliminate subsidies on public services • Expand the tax collection base and increase taxes on agriculture • Increase tax on pensions • Freeze public sector wages for the next 5 years.
These measures will only increase inequality in a country where 20 million people have fallen into poverty in the last year.
Protest in London, photos taken by @dont.smile__
The strike took place amidst government attempts to declare it illegal. The decision was widely rejected by trade unions and social movements. Of these the indigenous movement in Cauca, adjacent to Cali, launched an indefinite general strike. In an act of cultural resistance, on 28 April they toppled the statue of conquistador Sebastian Belalcázar that overlooked the city of Cali, no longer.
While supported nationwide the strike was particularly massive in Cali, where the outburst continued until Saturday 1st May. Over half a million people joined in popular assemblies across the city. Duque shipped 700 soldiers and 300 police into Cali and a colossal crackdown began that evening, most especially targeted against young protestors. The worst perpetrators are the loathed ESMAD, the ‘anti-mutiny’ Robocop squads backed with helicopters, and now tanks have been witnessed rolling in.
Protests in London, photos taken by @dont.smile__
Duque withdrew his tax reform package on 2nd May, but he has lost all trust, and indeed has used this as a cover to increase the repression. On 3rd May the National Strike Committee announced a further nationwide General Strike on 5th May. The strike’s central demands include an end to the massacres, demilitarisation, disbanding ESMAD and instead a switch of public funds into the health service for a massive and immediate vaccination programme.
The mobilisations were also against the violence against communities at the hands of the state and paramilitary groups. Social movements point out that the genocide against them is being carried out by paramilitary groups with the complicity of the state. Since the Havana peace accords of 2016 over 1, 164 social leaders, human rights defenders and demobilized members of the FARC have been assassinated.
Throughout the strike hundreds of people have been killed, kidnapped and sexual violated. Social media is also being censored, many posts and videos on Instagram have been deleted especially when the hashtag #soscolombia has been used which makes you wonder why does the Colombian government not want the world to know what is happening ? Is it because they know that massacring their people is unlawful?
Protests in London, photo taken by @dont.smile__
Next Steps?
Now that people are slowly aware of what is happening in Colombia the next steps is to to change the narrative to “Demand peace for Colombia.” Their are many organisations that are globally joining forces in order to move forward in a conscious and peaceful manner.
The aim of the union of these organisations is to apply pressure to international countries which have legal contracts with Colombia. Colombia has many ties to countries all over the world where they trade food distribution, gold, oil, petrol, gems and many more.
Colombia is breaking its contracts with all international countries, these organisations demanded that all international counties that have contracts with Colombia to speak to Colombia and tell them that they must stop what they are doing as they are breaching their contracts. Colombia is illegally going against all human rIghts. Laws and rights are two different things, and we want ensure the welfare of human rights and enforce peace treaties.
All alliances need to stop funding the military, all financial support to the Colombian government must be stopped as it is evident that they have not been using the money correctly, otherwise the ywould have the 600millones to pay off their debt instead of creating a tax reform and getting the people of Colombia to pay off the governments debt.
One thing that must be highlighted is that the last thing that the Colombian Civilians want is for the president Ivan Duque to resign, in the case that was to happen the military would take over and have all power and that is the last thing we need.
Protests in London, Photos taken by @dont.smile__
What can we do from London?
There are loads of demonstations going on in London, it is important that if you attend you are aware of your rights and that you attend with alot of respect towards the cause and intention of the protests which is to demand peace and justice for Colombia.To find out Join @soscolombiauk and get further information from: info@colombiasolidarity.org.uk
Protest in London. photos taken by @dont.smile__
