Thousands of people marched in Colombian cities, including the capital Bogota, on Wednesday as a coalition of opposition parties, trade unions, indigenous groups and social movements protested against economic and security policies pursued by right-wing President Abelardo de la Espriella. The demonstrations marked the first day of a nationwide campaign led by Colombia’s former left-wing president, Gustavo Petro.
Opposition groups say many reforms made under Petro are now under threat. Those reforms include expanded access to public universities, a higher minimum wage and improved labour protections for workers. They argue that the new government is moving ahead with cuts to public programmes.
Austerity plans fuel worries over labour and health protections
Colombia’s Congress has until Tuesday to approve the 2027 fiscal year budget. As part of the new administration’s austerity measures, allies of de la Espriella are advancing proposals to reduce government spending.
Protesters also voiced concern about cuts to labour protections and healthcare. Teacher Ester Guerra, 32, told reporters in Bogota: “I feel like we have no guarantees and that the little we did obtain … we’re about to lose.”
New police powers introduced ahead of the marches
The government issued new rules for police ahead of the protests. The measures give law enforcement expanded powers to act more quickly against protesters who vandalise public property or disrupt access to essential services.
In a social media statement announcing the decree, de la Espriella said: “The right to protest is respected, but there is no right to destroy, attack the security forces, assault others or sow chaos.” He added that “violence, vandalism and blockades that trample on the rights of millions of citizens will not be tolerated.”
Indigenous communities and political groups in rural areas sometimes block roads as part of their campaigns, and the disruption to traffic can last for weeks. Critics, however, pointed out that this week’s protests have been largely peaceful.
Embassy move in Jerusalem sparks anger among demonstrators
Some demonstrators objected to the new administration’s overtures towards Israel, and several carried Palestinian flags as a sign of solidarity. On Wednesday, the government opened a Colombian embassy in Jerusalem, a move that is controversial because both Israel and Palestine claim parts of the city.
Petro had been a strong supporter of Palestine and cut relations with Israel over its war against Gaza. De la Espriella has moved to restore those severed ties since taking office. Jimena Rodriguez, a 20-year-old student, said the step looked like an effort to ignore accusations of Israeli abuses against Palestinians.
Several protesters noted that the president’s approach to Israel mirrored that of United States President Donald Trump, who moved the US embassy to Jerusalem during his first term in 2018. Rodriguez said de la Espriella “just wants to hand the country over to the United States, to Israel,” adding, “I feel dark times are coming.”
De la Espriella, a former defence lawyer and millionaire businessman, was a political newcomer when he ran for the presidency this year on a far-right ticket. He won a June runoff by a narrow margin and took office in August. He campaigned on a hardline platform covering crime, immigration and the economy, including proposals to expel millions of migrants and shrink the size of government.
Petro, a former left-wing fighter-turned-politician, took part in Wednesday’s protests. He was not eligible for re-election this year because Colombian law caps presidents at a single term. On social media, he said the mobilisations were a wake-up call two months into what he called a tyrannical and imposed government. Many protesters chanted “It will fall,” a reference to what they see as the failure of de la Espriella’s government.
