Colombian lawmakers introduce a plan calling for the government to take control of the cocaine market, buying harvests and regulating sales.
The protests’ initial impetus was a government tax-increase plan that opponents said would disproportionately hurt low-income Colombians, already reeling in a pandemic-battered economy that has plunged multitudes into poverty. Duque, who had said the tax hike was needed to stabilize national finances, scrapped the proposal just a few days after the unrest on the streets began April 28 and accepted the resignation of his finance minister.
But the demonstrations quickly morphed into broader calls for improved healthcare, education, security and other demands. Colombia saw similar protests in 2019-20, but those lost momentum when the pandemic hit. This time, marches are pressing ahead despite a third coronavirus wave in a nation with one of the world’s highest per capita COVID-19 death rates.