Massive marches have taken place in several cities of Colombia. Tens of thousands reponded to the call for a national strike and took to the streets on Thursday despite the heavy security measures ordered by the President, Eurasia Diary reports citing ANF news.
Colombia's main organizations of workers, farmers, and students reject President Ivan Duque’s neoliberal policy package, which seeks to eliminate the state-based pension fund, increase the retirement age and hire young people with salaries below the minimum wage.
Progressive parties and organizations also require the right-wing government to demonstrate a greater commitment to the implementation of the Peace Agreement and more protection to the lives of social leaders, who have been victims of selective killings executed by "unidentified" paramilitary groups.
Since the signing of the Peace Agreement in 2016, at least 777 social leaders and 137 former guerrilla fighters have been killed in Colombia, according to the Institute for Development and Peace (Indepaz).
Anti-riot police attacked the demonstrators and especially the students section of the multitudinary march in the capital Bogota