N°14-02/06/2021 Since April 28, the Colombian people and especially the youth have invaded the streets of towns and villages to shout their determination to end an economic and social policy,
dictated by the IMF and implemented by the government of I. Duque which crushes them. The violent repression resulted in dozens of deaths, but the people did not give in and forced the government, after procrastination, to abandon its decrees on the increase in VAT. This did not stop the mass demonstrations because it is against a background of deep social unrest that this popular revolt is happening. According to the newspaper "Le Monde": “Thirteen months of pandemic worsened social inequalities. Closed shops, empty apartments for rent and beggars show the gravity of the economic situation. The fourth largest economy in Latin America, Colombia recorded in 2020 a drop in GDP of 6.8% and a surge in unemployment, which exceeds the 16% mark. According to a recent report from the statistics department, poverty affects 42.5% of the population: the country has fallen by more than ten years in the fight against poverty”.
While the power has been forced to retreat, it continues to want to stem the popular movement by force by militarizing the cities of Colombia and indeed by preparing a military coup to break the struggle of the Colombian people. The situation is extremely serious. Last night, the secretary of the Communist Party of Colombia, Jaime Caicedo, addressed the world to warn about the dangers of a bloody and dictatorial worsening of the situation. Here is essentially a summary of his speech. “On the 7th day of the mobilizations and demonstrations in Colombia. The killings and the crackdown by law enforcement against protesters continued on Monday evening, especially in Cali and Valle del Cauca in western Colombia, killing and injuring several people. The people demand the withdrawal of various legislative reforms that are hurting the middle class, poor communities, as well as improvements in the areas of health, education and work. The government's response has been the militarization of the country, resulting in a wave of bloodshed, wounded, imprisoned, tortured, missing, raped women by the forces of repression who shoot and kill indiscriminately.
Young Colombians desperate about an uncertain future take to the streets to demand improvements and a dignified life... It is an SOS From Colombia to the world, the struggle continues, we are heading for a military coup”.
Our party alerts all activists, progressive citizens and democrats. It calls on them to express their indignation and support for the struggles of the Colombian people by voicing their position to the Colombian Embassy and the French government.