62,000 march in Colombia against De la Espriella, he says

Tens of thousands of people marched in Bogotá and other Colombian cities on Wednesday, Oct. 14, in the first major protest against President Abelardo de la Espriella, who put the national turnout at 62,000 and said 98 per cent of the demonstrations were peaceful.

The march, called by opposition parties, unions, Indigenous groups and students and backed by former president Gustavo Petro, came two months after De la Espriella took office, and days before Congress must pass the 2027 budget.

The 62,000 figure comes from the president himself, who posted it on X and called it “a very small proportion” of Colombians, AFP reported. Neither AFP nor La República, which also reported the number, independently verified it or the 98 per cent claim.

Police used tear gas, water cannons and stun grenades in central Bogotá after dark, AFP reported. Officers also dispersed crowds with tear gas in Ibagué, and there was unrest outside government buildings in Popayán. La República reported six arrests for alleged vandalism, in Montería, Pasto and Ibagué.

The largest rally was at the Plaza de Bolívar in Bogotá, according to La República, with further marches in Cali, Medellín, Barranquilla, Manizales, Bucaramanga and Cúcuta. Indigenous groups also marched in the southwest, AFP said.

Protesters told Al Jazeera they fear spending cuts will undo reforms made under Petro, including wider access to public universities, a higher minimum wage and stronger labour protections. Teacher Ester Guerra, 32, told the broadcaster that what they had won “is about to be lost”. Student Jimena Rodriguez, 20, said she fears “dark times ahead”.

Petro, who is barred by law from seeking re-election, called the mobilizations a wake-up call against a “tyrannical and imposed government,” Al Jazeera reported. Petro attended the Bogotá march but made no speech, AFP said. On X, he wrote: “The people do not give up,” according to La República.

Part of the anger is aimed at a decree De la Espriella signed on Tuesday. La República identified it as Decree 1525. It loosens the rules on the use of force when protesters damage property or block roads. The president said it lets authorities “attack urban terrorism disguised as protest,” AFP reported. Critics say it restricts the right to demonstrate.

De la Espriella said his government respects the right to protest but will not tolerate violence, vandalism or blockades, Al Jazeera reported.

Some marchers also objected to the opening of a Colombian embassy in Jerusalem the same day. De la Espriella has restored ties with Israel that Petro cut over the war in Gaza. Canada News Media reported on the planned embassy opening last week.

De la Espriella, a former defence lawyer and businessman with no prior political office, won a narrow runoff in June and took office in August. He campaigned on crime, immigration and the economy and has pledged a smaller government and free-market policies, Al Jazeera reported.

Antonio Sanguino, who was labour minister under Petro, warned of escalation. “We will go to a national strike that could be indefinite,” he said, according to La República. Sen. Iván Cepeda, who marched in Bogotá, said he will send regular reports on the protests to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

For Canadians, the Government of Canada’s travel advisory for Colombia, last updated Oct. 14, tells travellers to “exercise a high degree of caution” and says demonstrations and strikes take place regularly, especially in large cities, and can turn violent. Travel.gc.ca advises avoiding areas where protests are under way and following local authorities’ instructions. Our recent coverage of Latin America includes the opening of Costa Rica’s mega-prison and charges against 10 former FARC members in Colombia.

What happens next depends partly on Congress, which has until Tuesday, Oct. 20, to approve the 2027 budget, Al Jazeera reported. Opposition leaders have said the protest campaign will continue.

Via Al Jazeera, AFP via SWI swissinfo.ch and La República. Quotes from Spanish-language reports were translated by Canada News Media.

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