A Report from Cali • Un informe de Cali

By Lina Forero • Cali , Colombia
Board member of BPFNA-Bautistas por la Paz 
Young Adult representative

Santiago de Cali, May 4th, 2021

Since April 28, thousands of people in Colombia have taken to the streets to protest against the tax reform of President Iván Duque. In response, the government decreed a curfew and sent military force to arrest the protesters.

Given the repression and the lack of understanding from the government, the people decided to go on an indefinite strike demanding that not only the tax reform be withdrawn, which includes a tax increase to collect 6.3 billion dollars for the State and intends to raise taxes on basic necessities, public services and funerals. While it also adds a "solidarity tax" on the richest and promises a basic universal income, Colombians are skeptical of these promises that never seem to become reality. The indefinite strike also demands that the health reform (presented by Cambio Radical and the Centro Democrático) be withdrawn, which would end up commercializing this right at a time when public access to health is appalling (data from Oreja Roja (Red Ear))

Faced with the peaceful demonstrations, Duque ordered "military assistance" in cities with disturbances of public order, this measure applies in cities like Cali, which has been experiencing days and nights of terror. The order given to the armed forces was to restore order in the city and shoot the protesters; this has been the case since April 28, they have attacked with tear gas, stun guns and firing not only with pistols, but with rifles and weapons with a considerable range that are authorized to be used only in mountainous areas, not within cities.

On May 2, Duque announced that the tax reform was being "withdrawn", but in reality what he said was that consensus would be reached and a new proposal would be generated. Until today, May 4, the letter that it would withdraw the tax reform has not arrived. Alberto Carrasquilla, one of the main architects and supporters of this reform, apparently resigned from the finance ministry, which was announced by the media as a response to the protests, but hours later it became known that in reality he was recently nominated for the Presidency of the Development Bank of Latin America.

Since the night of April 28 in Colombia, THEY HAVE BEEN KILLING US and the media has classified us as vandals and say that we simply died. The videos, photos and complaints that have been made about the abuse by the security forces have been classified as fake news . According to Oreja Roja (Red ear/ an alternative communication source) so far 26 homicides of protesters are officially reported (there are still many others to be confirmed) 1,181 cases of police abuse, 9 victims of sexual violence by the armed forces, 56 cases of use of firearms and 761 arbitrary arrests and the numbers of the people who have been detained and disappeared by the police and the Esmad (Mobile Anti-Riot Squad) are not yet available.

During these nights the protesters have been broadcasting on Instagram what they experience on the front lines. In the early morning of May 3, Nicolás Guerrero, a 22-year-old young man from Cali who was at a candlelight vigil was killed by Esmad with a bullet to the head before the eyes of hundreds of people, the police (as on several occasions in what goes from the national strike) came to repel the demonstration and began to shoot the protesters without saying a word.

On the night of May 3, Clara Luz Roldán (governor of the valley) and Jorge Iván Ospina (mayor of Cali) were replaced by General Zapateiro, who promised to restore order to the city at any cost. Since 3:00 pm, protesters from La Luna sector in Cali were being attacked by Esmad, this happened until late at night; there were many people captured, we still do not have the data of how many.

Wherever the Esmad arrives there is death, they have been throwing tear gas inside houses near the protests, this has already claimed the lives of several people, who died from the effects of the tear gas.

The protesters are classified as vandals, to the point that when there is an injured person they are not taken to the hospital, but several areas in the city have been designated as unofficial health areas. Taking them to the hospital means the police can arrest them and categorize them as terrorists.

In Colombia there is a civil dictatorship or a totalitarian regime, human rights are being violated, the city of Cali is being controlled by the military and the police, they are the ones who have control of public order and have left the local authority without functions. All cities are militarized, police helicopters fly over us day and night in Cali, no one can sleep peacefully because bullets can be heard at dawn.

Against this background, the National strike continues indefinitely. Taxi drivers, truck drivers from all cities, Afro and indigenous communities have joined, and Cali continues to be the epicenter of demonstrations and abuse of the public forces.

These are events in progress, most likely tonight, May 4, they will continue to murder civilians in the name of public order, who are only demanding decent living conditions, no more assassinations of social leaders and no more reforms that keep us impoverished.