Colombian ex-Senator Piedad Cordoba has congratulated student protesters and warned them not to fall for the president’s “trick”.
Addressing a crowd of thousands in Plaza de Bolivar, where protesters gathered after a huge march in Bogota Thursday, Cordoba said that President Juan Manuel Santos‘ offer to withdraw Law 30 – the higher education reform that the students are fighting – should not be trusted.
The ex-senator added, “Students must continue their strike – it’s a victory for mothers and fathers, peasants and victims of the state.”
She also accused the police of deliberately provoking students as they attempted to peacefully protest.
Tens of thousands of students took to the streets in cities across Colombia Thursday, despite a promise from President Santos that he would take Law 30 off the table if the protests stopped.
Students plan to hold a national assembly on Saturday to decide the future of the strike.