Colombia’s political opposition and some business associations organized major protests against the reform agenda of President Gustavo Petro.
The protests were organized by conservative and far-right political parties and received the support of the truckers’ association, surgeons and scientists.
In Bogota, some 80,000 people joined the protests that ended with a mass gathering on the Bolivar Square in the heart of the capital.
Other major protests were reported in Medellin and Cali.
Opposition politicians had called on their supporters to mobilize in rejection of Petro’s proposal to organize a constituent assembly to secure legislative approval for his reforms.
The president and his ministers have been trying to convince Congress to approve labor reforms, and major overhauls of the country’s healthcare and pension systems.
These reforms have been fiercely opposed by the far-right Democratic Center party, liberals and conservatives.
According to Carolina Arbelaez, a former representative of the conservative Radical Change party, “this is a march in defense of democracy and the institutions.”
We also mobilize because of what is happening in terms of public order. The figures of what is happening in Cauca and Nariño are very worrying, with the territories at the mercy of criminals.
Former congresswoman Carolina Arbelaez
Until Sunday, the opposition has had little success in organizing anti-government protests.
This has changed in part because of the participation of the truckers, the surgeons and the scientists who oppose the government’s policies for their own particular reasons.
Petro further upset conservative public opinion by a recent announcement that he will take part in the Labor Day protests on May 1.
