in Colombia, hundreds of thousands of people demonstrate against the government

Hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated on Sunday April 21 in the main cities of Colombia against the left-wing government of Gustavo Petro, whose popularity is at an all-time low after twenty months in power.

At the call of medical organizations, the opposition, centrist political forces and former allies who reject several reforms, including its plan to nationalize health services, these demonstrators also protested against the violence which continues despite the peace negotiations with armed groups. “I voted for change, for Petro, but we are still in the same situation. I demonstrate because I think Colombia still has hope and I love my country”declared a 64-year-old retiree, wearing a tricolor hat in Bogota.

Although the president did not speak directly, he posted, on video of an old television satirein which the “ruling class” protest. This is not the first demonstration against Petro’s government, but it is the first of such scale across the country.

In the capital, despite the rain, tens of thousands of demonstrators headed towards Bolivar Square, neighboring the presidential headquarters. In Cali, Medellin, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga and other cities, demonstrators joined the movement with Colombian flags, white T-shirts and a unanimous cry: “Out Petro!” »

Health reform project divides the country

One of his reform projects, that of health, divided the country, because Gustavo Petro began to implement several axes on the administrative level despite the difficulties encountered in obtaining the support of Congress.

The president wants to reduce the participation of the private sector in the provision of health services and, in recent days, he has intervened in several entities that serve as intermediaries between the state and hospitals, in order to control their budgets. Experts agree that the health system is bankrupt and needs to be reformed, but some question how the government intends to do it. Under the name of “march of the white coats”doctors expressed their “disagreement with the current management of the health system by the government”.

In different cities, demonstrators carried banners referring to the insecurity and violence of rebels and drug traffickers in the countryside. The ambitious policy of “total peace” government, which aims to deactivate six decades of armed conflict, is suffering setbacks. Their critics reject the concessions obtained by armed groups in peace negotiations, despite frequent violations of the agreement and few signs of willingness to lay down their arms. Negotiations with rebels from the National Liberation Army and dissidents from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have experienced several crises due to assassinations, kidnappings and attacks on security forces.

Gustavo Petro came to power in June 2022, becoming the first left-wing man to govern a country traditionally ruled by conservative elites. With a disapproval rate of 60%, according to the Invamer polling institutethe president lost the support of political forces in Congress and in the streets.