“Trade unions, social movements, student organisations and the Historic Pact party led the demonstrations, which filled the centres of several major cities despite torrential rain.”
By Justice for Colombia
Colombia’s progressive movement took to the streets on 14 October 2026 in the first nationwide demonstrations against Abelardo de la Espriella’s far-right government. Trade unions, social movements, student organisations and the Historic Pact party led the demonstrations, which filled the centres of several major cities despite torrential rain.
The protests put forward a broad series of demands. These include support for the minimum wage increase, defence of the peace process, investment in public education and guarantees over indigenous rights. Another key issue is government legislation for an ‘anti-terrorism statute’ which many fear will restrict democratic rights and protest due to its extremely broad definition of ‘terror’. The protests also oppose the new Colombian government’s foreign policy alignment behind the United States and Israel.
Opposition politicians and human rights groups have reacted with alarm after De la Espriella signed a presidential decree regulating social protest the day before the demonstrations. It permits police to act against protesters without engaging in dialogue first and to use force in certain circumstances defined as physical confrontations and road blockages. How these actions are interpreted, however, appears deliberately nebulous: does a march down a city avenue, for example, signify a blockage, thereby legitimising police repression? Does shouting or resisting arrest constitute physical aggression?
Furthermore, the timing of the decree – 24 hours before the demonstrations – suggests De la Espriella hoped to intimidate protestors. His government is likely to face intense opposition given the unpopularity of many of his policies and the organised strength of the progressive movement from grassroots to congressional level, which gained it nearly 13 million votes in this year’s presidential election.
Historic Pact politicians have blasted the decree, warning it was authoritarian and implemented before the public or opposition politicians could review it. Senator María Eugenia Londoño said the government was giving police excessive powers ‘without having published [the decree’s content] with sufficient advance notice, which could constitute a serious violation of the right to social protest.’ Senator Iván Cepeda posted that, ‘No government can demand that the people remain silent in the face of decisions that gravely affect their rights.’ Petro argued the government’s failure to publish the decree with prior notice invalidated it. ‘The march must be massive and completely peaceful. Dignity is calm and powerful,’ the former president posted.
The CUT trade union federation and the FECODE teachers’ federation are among the organisations that convened the demonstrations for ‘the defence of labour rights, democratic freedoms, social justice and national sovereignty.’ A CUT statement criticised the decree: ‘Blockades and disruption of thoroughfares are forms of social protest and do not, in themselves, constitute acts of violence. Engaging in them is protected by international human rights standards,’ it said, citing the United Nations and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Indigenous organisations led marches in Cauca, led by the Cauca Indigenous Regional Council (CRIC), which has recently come under attack from De la Espriella and has had activists assassinated in recent weeks.
As well as Bogota, mobilisations took place in Medellin, Cali, Barranquilla, Popayan, Bucaramanga, Tunja, Valledupar and several other towns and cities. In the capital, riot police used tear gas and water cannons to break up a peaceful seated protest, with witnesses saying the action was unprovoked. There were further cases of police repression – unwarranted, according to human rights observers – in Popayan and Ibague. In London, activists gathered outside the Colombian consulate to show their discontent with the new government. Overall, opposition groups view the mobilisations as a successful expression of public discontent with the De la Espriella government. Bigger mobilisations are planned for next month.
- Justice for Columbia work in support of trade unionism, human rights and peace in Colombia. You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
- This article was originally published by Justice for Colombia on 15 October 2026.
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