Colombian ombudsmen have on Tuesday denounced police brutality against coffee strikers across three departments in Colombia’s south.
The reports were made from the south-central Huila departments and the southwestern Cauca and Tolima departments. A source in the latter department told Colombia Reports that 43 coffee protesters were wounded in clashes with riot police in one municipality alone.
The Ombudsman for Huila department’s capital city of Neiva, also painted a grim picture of the situation in his region.
Meneses was also heavily critical of both the local and national government response to the situation.
MORE: Southwest Colombia city ‘shut off’ due to coffee strike
In the northwestern Antioquia department some 550 coffee protesters gathered on Tuesday in the coffe-growing La Pintada municipality. The Ombudsman of La Pintada, Raúl Tamayo, said that the protest progressed calmly and without incident.
“The people who are marching are doing well, and their rights have been respected,” said Tamayo.
Sources
- Interview with the Ombudsman of Ibague, Tolima.
- Interview with Jesus Elias Meneses, the Ombudsman of Neiva, Huila.
- Interview with the Ombudsman of La Pintada, Antioquia
- Interview with the Hospital of Garzon, Huila
- Interview with Victor Javier Melendez, the Ombudsman of Cauca
- Interview with the Ombudsman’s Office of Popayan, Cauca