Bogotá (EFE).- The Colombian opposition began to gather this Tuesday in the streets of the main cities of the country to protest against the social reforms promoted by the administration of President Gustavo Petro, highly questioned in recent weeks due to scandals in his government .
In the so-called “March of the majority” demonstrations were called throughout the country but the largest concentrations are expected in Bogotá, Cali, Medellín, Barranquilla and Bucaramanga, among other cities in the country.
People of all ages began to gather this morning in the National Park of Bogotá amid shouts of “No more Petro” and signs that indicated “The press is respected” or “No to the Petro reforms”, all surrounded by Colombian flags. .
“We went out to defend democracy and freedom, the independence of powers to prevent the abuse of power and the excesses of President Gustavo Petro,” said Senator Migue Uribe, of the Democratic Center party, one of the conveners of the protests.
Uribe added to EFE that “guarantees are needed to discuss the reforms” of health, labor and pensions proposed by the Government and that, in his opinion, they want to approve “in a tricky way.”
Participation of opposition leaders
They also announced their participation, among others, the former presidential candidate Federico Gutiérrez and Senator David Luna, from Cambio Radical, as well as all the Uribismo congressmen.
“We believe that President Petro cannot continue with a government that incites hatred. Enough of the hatred, enough of the threats to institutions and the media,” former Defense Minister Diego Molano, a pre-candidate for Bogotá Mayor’s Office, told EFE.
Molano asked that the president be held accountable before Congress and that “his behavior since his campaign” be investigated, in which, according to former ambassador Armando Benedetti, allegedly there were irregularities in financing.
For Molano, in this demonstration “the message is clear: they tell the president that in Colombia there is an immense majority that does not want his reforms.”
Discontent with Petro
The greatest discontent with Petro is in the rejection caused in sectors of the population and unions by the pension, labor and health reforms, which are being debated in Congress and are considered by many to be detrimental to the country.
Added to this is the scandal involving former chief of staff Laura Sarabia and former ambassador Benedetti, both very close to the president and involved in a case of alleged abuse of power and illegal wiretapping that cost them both their jobs.
Among other complaints from the opposition to take to the streets is also the rejection of the rise in fuel prices and the attacks on the press, the organizers said.