Indigenous communities in Bogotá, who have been seeking a meeting with President Iván Duque for several days, will join other social sectors, such as teachers and labor unions, in a national strike called for today, October 21st. This strike is supported by left-wing political forces, who have taken advantage—since the beginning of 2020—to encourage street protests in response to various events in the political arena: the peace agreement, negotiations with the ELN, glyphosate, public order, and selective assassinations. The indigenous minga is no stranger to these concerns, which is why its call to the government this time focuses on political demands (annually they make claims seeking permanent concessions in public policy).
The political tension and poor relationship between the Mayor's Office of Bogotá and the national government are at one of their worst moments, following the arrival of indigenous people in Bogotá. Their presence in the city becomes a public health issue in the containment of Covid-19. For Claudia López, the indigenous people's claims are well-founded, and the president's refusal to meet with them has made their massive mobilization to the capital necessary.
In addition to this, and following recent events of police brutality, the country is on edge about how today's marches will unfold, as there are indications of infiltration by gangs and demobilized individuals who will seek to disrupt public order. The few schools that reopened after the quarantine have already canceled their in-person classes because disorder in the city is likely.
A complex social, political, and sanitary context is evident today in Colombia. Some 7,000 indigenous Colombian individuals, members of the minga They arrived in Bogotá on Sunday, October 18th. The official rejection worsened the situation, and now the indigenous people will join the National Strike called for today by the Colombian Federation of Education Workers (Fecode) and the Labor Unions. Without a doubt, a social and health time bomb.
What's behind all the protests against Iván Duque's government that are brewing? Is it necessary to take to the streets in the midst of a public health situation as delicate as the one posed by the pandemic? Was President Iván Duque's rejection of the indigenous people's request for a meeting necessary? The issue has its reasons, but along the way, it seems to be losing its logical direction.
The truth is, given the national government's refusal to address their demands, they decided to join the National Strike today, whose objective is toWe demand President Duque cease authoritarianism, restrictions on social protest, fulfill agreements, and negotiate the points raised in the 104-point demands and the 6-point emergency demands, presented amidst the economic, social, and health crisis.
Economically speaking, the country is already in a nosedive. The recession caused by the pandemic has resulted in the highest unemployment rates in recent decades, crippled economic sectors, and a transition that is still uncertain about how it will begin. The instability caused by the country's active sectors, in their eagerness to be heard simultaneously, does not help in the attempt to recover the economy and provide each sector with the solutions it requires.
Governance, the interference of the left in mass decisions, which manifest in the streets without physical distancing or compliance with biosecurity measures, make the presidential campaign framework confusing. There is undoubtedly annoyance among the people. The pandemic arrived to worsen what was already agonizing, and the left, although divided, has known how to read and interpret society, to the point of guiding it towards the streets and very likely towards the electoral urns in 2022.
Everything is starting to become part of an anxious national sentiment; first, due to the health outcome of having so many people protesting; second, due to suspicions of infiltrators who are seeking—at all costs—to foster anarchy and civil disobedience; third, due to the economic repercussions; and fourth, because in the near future, the left could end up persuading the country's voting intentions; a decisive decision for a country that has closely experienced the social, political, and economic agony of its neighbor, Venezuela.
For today, it is imperative to remember that The Ministry of the Interior issued the protocol that, in the short term (provisional), includes the most urgent measures to guarantee citizens' right to protest publicly. Respecting the legitimate authorities of the State, avoiding damage to their equipment or uniforms, and prohibiting the carrying of blunt, chemical, or incendiary weapons are two of the most decisive orders in this regard.