Several hundred Colombians took to the streets Friday to show their
discontent with controversial Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. The
marches did not attract the masses the organizers initially had hoped
for.
According to Canal Caracol, some 1,000 people took to the streets to protest in the capital Bogota. Newspaper El Tiempo reported 1,500. In Medellin, Colombia’s second largest city, some 400 people were counted. The same number was estimated in Barranquilla.
At the same time as the march against Chavez, 50 people held a counter-demonstration against Colombian President Alvaro Uribe.
In Venezuela, where Chavez’ presidency polarized society into Chavistas and anti-Chavistas, thousands of people took to the streets, but none of the checked Venezuelan media gave an estimation.
Earlier in the day, opponents of the leftist presidents in Europe and Australia also took to the streets.
The marches are only a fraction in size of the marches held against the FARC in 2008 that mobilized millions around the world. The organizers of these marches also took part in the mobilization against Chavez, but with significant less success.