Colombia: thirteen dead in another tragic weekend …

Cali was once again the scene of a violent day with the deaths of at least 13 people at the end of a month of protests against Iván Duque’s government. This Saturday, the president again defended the actions of the security forces and also responded with the militarization of eight of the 32 departments (provinces). Human rights organizations denounce more than 300 disappeared last month as authorities recognize just 123 cases. At least 59 people have died in a month of protests, according to figures from the Office of the Mediator, which has asked the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to bring forward its visit to the country. While the International Mission of Solidarity and Observation of Human Rights of Argentina, which visited Colombia to alleviate the situation in the demonstrations, denounced the exercise of state terrorism on the population.

13 dead in Cali

Cali is the third most populous city in Colombia with 2.2 million inhabitants. He is currently subject to a nighttime curfew. He woke up with the remains of barricades and rubble after one of the most violent days since the start of the social epidemic. At least 13 people died on the last day of the protest. In one of the episodes, a prosecutor killed two protesters who were blocking one of the roads with his gun. According to the same accusations, the man was then lynched by a crowd of people.

The Meléndez district, south of the city, experienced a night of extreme tension. “We were in a cultural activity with the people because we were already celebrating a month of unemployment (…) when gunshots were heard,” said a witness who asked to reserve his name out of fear. “They started killing people.” They were “about five people in civilian clothes, hiding behind the trees”said the witness, a 22-year-old single. Videos that subsequently went viral support his version.

Cali’s Security and Justice Secretary Carlos Rojas spoke about what happened on the last day of protests. “In the south of the city we had (…) almost an urban war where many people not only lost their lives, but we also had a significant number of wounded,” Rojas told Caracol radio. .

Duke militarizes

the Colombian President, Ivan Duque, ordered the deployment of more than 1,100 soldiers in the city under the figure of military assistance, which empowers the army to support the police in control tasks. Around midnight on Friday, Duque extended the scope of the decree to eight of the country’s 32 departments and 13 cities. In addition, he plans to activate military support of around 7,000 men for the departments where roadblocks are made.

Duke visited Cali already Popayan -two cities which suffered a strong repression during the epidemic- to reaffirm the measures of militarization. The president explained that the decision plans to triple the number of men in uniform in each region and also authorizes the lifting of blockades and cuts, while the governors are in charge of decreeing curfews.

De Popayán, the president, led a meeting of the Security Council with the governor, Elijah Larraondo, and the mayor Juan Carlos López Castrillón. Duque took the opportunity to reiterate the existence of armed groups at the origin of certain disturbances. “Popayán has witnessed serious actions, vandalism, looting and low-intensity urban terrorism, attacks on public infrastructure,” he said. “Behind many of these events lie organized armed groups, such as Dagoberto Ramos, Jaime Martínez, groups of dissidents ”, he added, referring to the columns of the exFARC which did not adhere to the peace agreements. In his Twitter account, the Colombian president denounced the movements of money by these organizations to maintain the acts. “With payments of between 70 thousand (18 dollars) and 100 thousand pesos (26 dollars) to those who commit these actions,” he said. While this isn’t the first time Duque has linked violence and death during the social epidemic to guerrilla groups, the president has yet to present any evidence.. Although he defined a 25% increase in military personnel in this city.

They ask to bring forward the visit of the IACHR

The Colombian Ombudsman’s Office asked this Saturday to bring forward the visit of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) scheduled for June 29. The request was made to the vice-president and chancellor, Marta Lucía Ramírez. Last Monday, the chancellor told the executive secretary of the IACHR, Maria Claudia Pulido, that the entry of the humanitarian delegation could not take place “for the moment”. But in the face of international criticism and concerns about police abuse, Ramírez said that if the IACHR wanted to advance its hearing, it could do so, but that he also preferred that the visit take place after the IACHR had finished. held the hearing.

However, the Mediator, Carlos camargo, he sent a letter to the Chancellor asking him to bring forward the arrival of the delegation. “I suggest that the aforementioned visit be carried out as soon as possible, if possible before the hearing on the human rights situation in Colombia scheduled for June 29,” said the Mediator, according to the newspaper. The spectator.

For Camargo, an early visit would allow the members of the IACHR to access real and complete information, to interact personally with the actors and to help strengthen the scenarios to guarantee human rights. In this sense, he also added that the presence of the commission would contribute to the clarification of human rights violations within the framework of the mobilizations. “This would facilitate the negotiations which are on the table, contributing to the consolidation of confidence,” he added.

State terrorism

“It is a massacre and it is the exercise of state terrorism on the population”, denounced this Saturday the International Mission of Solidarity and Observation of Human Rights of Argentina which was traveled to Colombia to alleviate the situation in the protests. “The situation here is absolutely critical, videos have gone viral showing the actions of the police forces in collaboration with civilians,” he said. Marianela Navarro, delegate of the Front of organizations in struggle (FOL) and part of the delegation which went to Colombia on 25 May.

“There are reports of torture of students, sexual abuse of women, humiliation, arbitrary detentions, a very complex repressive situation which requires the greatest international coverage,” Navarro lamented in a message sent to the press.