Colombia’s police brutality, economic inequality, unemployment and poor public services have been brought into the spotlight after the April 28 protests against a proposed nationwide tax increase. 

 The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a severe social and economic toll on Colombia; with more than 101,000 deaths and 5 million jobs temporarily affected, Colombia recorded it’s largest recession on record. With many Colombians struggling to find work, the concept of the proposed tax change by the government was immediately protested, later withdrawn by the government after a few days of protest.

 The proposed tax increase would have affected anyone making more than $656 a month, and President Iván Duque initially insisted that the tax was needed to fix the country’s economy. After the protests caused deaths, however, he asked the Congress to withdraw the proposed law and created a new law to avoid financial uncertainty. The protests ignited civil unrest that lasted after the withdrawal of the tax increase. On June 15, organizers said that they are temporarily suspending the weekly Wednesday protests.

The earlier protests highlighted the  excess of police brutality in Colombia. More than 1,100 protesters and bystanders have been injured since April 28, and the total number is most likely higher as many cases have not been reported to authorities. Human Rights Watch confirmed 34 deaths, including 2 police officers and 31 demonstrators or bystanders, 20 of whom appeared to be murdered by the police.

The Independent Forensic Expert Group of the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims, an international group of forensic experts, explained that live ammunition was used on individuals, causing deaths. Also, IRCTV concluded that tear gas and kinetic impact projectiles are being misused, causing death and severe injury including blunt trauma to eyes.

More specifically, at least 16 protesters or bystanders died from live ammunition of police firearms, at least one other victim died from beatings and three others from inappropriate or excessive use of teargas or flash bangs. Additionally, there were 9 cases of severe eye injuries from either teargas cartridges, stun grenades, or kinetic impact projectiles fired from riot guns. Human Rights Watch, also stated, “Victims included journalists and human rights defenders who were covering the protest, including some who wore vests identifying them as such.”

Furthermore, on May 14, the Ombudsperson’s Office reported 2 cases of rape, 14 cases of sexual assault and 71 other cases of gender-based violence by police officers.. Two cases of sexual violence by police officers against protesters were documented by Human Rights Watch. 

In November 2016, the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia reached a peace accord after a 52-year armed conflict, demobilizing the country’s then-largest armed group. Protection of human rights defenders through specific initiatives was a part of the agreement. As seen with these recent protests, however, the agreement has not been held to the highest accountability. Conflict-related violence has displaced more than 8.2 million Colombians since 1985. 

On June 6, President Iván Duque stated that the government would take steps to “transform” the police. The protests continued from the end April untill mid-June; National strike committee spokesman Francicso Maltes said to Al Jazeera that the umbrella of workers unions, student organizations and others decided to “temporarily” pause the Wednesday protests. However, Maltes also stated, “Protest in Colombia will continue because the reasons behind it are still there.”

Unions and business associations will draft bills to share with Congress when it begins a new session on July 20—a protest is expected on that day, stated  Maltes. “We hope that Congress, and lawmakers, do not fail Colombians like President Ivan Duque has,” said Maltes.

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Kyla is an upcoming senior at Boston University, and is majoring in Journalism with a minor in Anthropology. She writes articles for the Daily Free Press at BU and a local paper in Malden, Massachusetts called Urban Media Arts. Pursuing journalism is her passion, and she aims to highlight stories from people of all walks of life to encourage productive, educated conversation. In the future, Kyla hopes to create well researched multimedia stories which emphasize under-recognized narratives.