After days of protests against a controversial tax reform, the Colombian government has been sending soldiers out onto the streets to support the police since Sunday. Several tanks hit the capital Bogota.
“We will not allow the destruction of public and private property and messages of hatred in our country,” said President Iván Duque in a speech on Sunday. He enacted an article enshrined in the constitution that says that the military can assist the police in keeping law and order.
People should pay for state corona deficit
In the South American country there have been partly violent protests against a tax reform since last Wednesday. Protesters set fire to buses and ransacked shops in several cities. There were numerous injuries and apparently also dead.
The government wanted, among other things, to reduce tax allowances, increase income tax for certain groups and remove VAT exemptions for a number of goods and services. This should compensate for the deficits in the state budget caused by the Corona crisis.
The government is back with cancer and wants to start a new project
Apparently the government is now withdrawing plans to make the people pay for the state deficit. President Iván Duque said: “I ask the Congress to put the project submitted by the Treasury on file and to work on a new project as soon as possible in order to avoid financial uncertainty.” In addition, the Colombian Minister of Economic Affairs, Alberto Carrasquilla, vacated his post on Monday.
On Tuesday, however, demonstrations continued like that Colombian daily newspaper “El Tiempo” reports. At least 19 civilians and one police officer have been killed in the riots since the protests began. There were 800 injured, reports the Colombian office of the United Nations. Most of the deaths occurred in Cali, but there have also been deaths in Ibagué, Tolima, Pereira, Risaralda, Soacha and Cundinamarca, according to the UN office. (ct / SDA)