On Friday, the government agreed to change the wording of the reform yet the protest rallies continued
BOGOTA, May 2. /TASS/. Colombian President Ivan Duque has ordered to bring troops to those cities where protest rallies against tax reform accompanied by vandalism and public order violations continue. The factor of military presence will be in effect in those cities where a great risk for lives of citizens exists, he said in a video address published on his administration’s Twitter page on Saturday.
The president stressed that the servicemen are trained to work in urban conditions and will provide support to police.
The unpopular draft initiative, dubbed the Sustainable Solidarity Law, was proposed by President Ivan Duque in April in a bid to cushion the negative impact of the.
Colombian president withdraws tax reforms after mass protests | New protests
The tax reforms of right-wing President Ivan Duque spread public anger and protests throughout Colombia.
Colombian President Ivan Duque has said he is withdrawing his controversial tax reform proposal, denouncing thousands of protesters across the South American nation over several days of measures.
In a video on Sunday, Duque said he would ask Congress to “withdraw the law proposed by the finance ministry and urgently process a new law that is the fruit of consensus to avoid financial uncertainty.”
The right-wing government stressed that reforms were essential to stabilize Colombia’s finances, maintain its credit rating, and fund social programs, spreading public outrage and protests.
Colombian President Ivan Duque has said he is withdrawing a contentious tax reform proposal after thousands of protesters took to the streets across the South American nation for several days to denounce the measures.
In a video on Sunday, Duque said he would ask Congress “to withdraw the law proposed by the finance ministry and urgently process a new law that is the fruit of consensus, in order to avoid financial uncertainty”.
The proposed reforms, which the right-wing government had insisted were vital to stabilising Colombia’s finances, maintaining its credit rating and funding social programmes, has drawn widespread public anger and protests.
Colombia president axes tax plan after angry protests
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BOGOTA, May 1, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Colombian President Ivan Duque caved in Friday to widespread anger and said he would overhaul a proposed tax reform that many said would leave them poorer during the pandemic.
Duque announced he was shelving clauses that would lower the income tax threshold to broaden the tax base and raise value-added taxes on goods and services.
He acted two days after tens of thousands of Colombians took to the streets across the country to denounce the proposed tax changes.
They were rejected across the board by opposition parties, unions, students and civil society groups that complained that the reforms came at the worst possible time and were particularly harmful to the middle class.