2024-05-07 21:00:25
Bogotá, May 4 (Prensa Latina) Numerous organizations and personalities today denounced the excessive violence used in Colombia by the Mobile Anti-Riot Squad (Esmad) against protesters after a week of national strike against government tax reform.
The General Confederation of Labor (CGT) published on its Twitter profile a condemnation of the NGO Temblores, which warns that the record (of cases) does not cover the dimension of the seriousness of human rights violations in the country and that no person is safe from being attacked by public forces.
Videos circulate on social networks with images of repression in Bogotá, Cali, Medellín, Palmira and Manizales, the main cities where the demonstrations have been concentrated.
The NGO Lazos de Dignidad shared daily figures of human rights violations in the context of the protests in tweets, and asks for strength and respect from those who are fighting.
On its Twitter account, the Comunes party pointed out that it is not possible to discuss reforms with President Iván Duque while protesters are being shot, while asking the president not to seek justifications for the massacre committed in Siloé, Cali, where a few hours ago They shot at a community fleeing Esmad repression.
In another tweet, Comunes claimed to have information that Uribismo (followers of former President Álvaro Uribe, a supporter of the militarization of public space) is preparing a state of commotion as a mechanism to end the social protest.
Given the context, said party formation questioned whether they wanted to carry out a self-coup as a way to preserve power, while also calling on the international community to protect the Colombian rule of law.
Today the spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Marta Hurtado, in a statement reminded the Colombian authorities of their responsibility to protect human rights, including that of life and personal safety, and to facilitate the exercise of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly.
The National Strike Committee denounced this Monday that the repression by the security forces during the demonstrations against the tax reform (neoliberal in nature) has left a provisional balance of 27 murdered and some 124 injured.
From his Twitter profile, former president Juan Manuel Santos expressed to Duque that he is at his and the Colombians’ disposal to get out of this crisis.
‘The country needs dialogue, understanding. This situation hurts. No more violence, no more blood. Never forget that peace is the way,’ he meant.